The Past Has a Way of Catching Up
by coolkid88100
Summary: *Rewrite of previous version* He returned to Konoha with the Uchiha, but instead of a hero's welcome, he was banished. Now he will he create his own path. Meeting a few new friends along the way, he will make the village pay for their treachery. Emperor Naruto. Noncanon. Crossovers with other major anime. Reviews are always welcomed. Inspired by azndrg
1. Banishment

"Genin Uzumaki Naruto…"

_**Flashback- Konoha Main Gates**_

_They had just returned from the Uchiha Retrieval Mission. The entire group that had gone were beaten and heavily injured. Shikamaru, Rock Lee and Kiba were injured, but their wounds were minor compared to those of Choji and Neji. The Sand Siblings even had to help carry the two of them back to Konoha. _

_Naruto, however, had the worst of the injuries. A chidori wound the size of a soccer ball was embedded in Naruto's chest. The Kyuubi was healing him, but the evidence of the wound was still there. Kakashi had to carry Naruto the entire way back to the village. _

_Despite the injuries, the group was successful in its mission. The Uchiha was in tow, unconscious and carried in Gaara's sand tomb. Sasuke also received major injuries during his fight with Naruto. The Kyuubi's burn marks on his body were self-evident. His chakra levels were depleted and his cuts were deep. _

_A crowd had gathered to the main gates to see the group return. The other Konoha 11 had shown up as well as Tsunade. The crowd that had gathered saw the burn marks as Sasuke as he was released by Gaara. They knew that it could only be the Kyuubi's doing. _

"_Murderer! Look at what you've done to the only Uchiha!" yelled one villager._

"_That boy needs to be locked up! Konoha is in danger if he gets loose!" yelled another._

"_I say we get rid of him now before it's too late!" yelled a pink-haired villager as others started to agree. The crowd would turn into a riot if it wasn't for Tsunade._

"_Enough!" yelled Tsunade. "Any villagers who defy the Sandaime's law will be executed immediately!" Tsunade was seriously pissed that villagers supported the Uchiha traitor over Naruto. She gave off so much killer intent that the crowd immediately dispersed._

_Tsunade ordered that Naruto, Choji and Neji were to be taken to her private quarters for immediate treatment. Sasuke was to be locked up and would receive treatment last, considering Tsunade could care less about the Uchiha's at the moment. _

_Once the Anbu had taken everyone away, Tsunade ordered Kakashi and Shikamaru in her office when she was done with Naruto, Choji and Neji._

_**Hokage Office**_

_Tsunade was able to give immediate medical attention to all three shinobi with little complication. In fact, Naruto had healed up so much to the point that all he needed was rest. Choji and Neji needed much more work, but would make full recoveries and be released to the care of their families the next day._

_Tsunade now sat in her office, physically and emotionally tired, but needed to know the details of the mission and called Shikamaru and Kakashi._

_Once there, Shikamaru explained the challenges that they faced while trying to prevent Sasuke from defecting. He made sure to detail everything that he saw, but also informed Tsunade that she was better off asking the others once they were treated. _

_Kakashi told Tsunade about the most pressing concern, how both Sasuke and Naruto had fought and heavily injured each other. Just as he was about to start, Danzo, Homura and Koharu had barged their way into Tsunade's office. _

"_What is the meaning of this!" Tsunade yelled, not liking the way her advisors walked into her office unannounced._

"_Calm down Tsunade-sama, we are just here to listen to the reports that your shinobi were giving. We as the elders need to be here to help you make some important decisions going forward," explained Danzo, as the three took their positions behind Tsunade._

"_Tch," was the only response Tsunade gave before having Kakashi explain._

_He explained about how the fight between the two went. They fought each other as though they were going to kill the other, holding nothing back. Naruto had tapped into the Kyuubi's power and Sasuke had activated his cursed seal. In the end, neither had won. However, both did inflict the maximum amount of damage they could without killing each other. _

_Kakashi added that he believed Naruto had won, using the power of the Kyuubi to stop Sasuke from defecting. Though he couldn't control it, he was successful in incapacitating the Uchiha which allowed them to return him home._

_Tsunade seemed to accept the debrief, however, her advisors were not so keen. They were worried about the Kyuubi coming loose again. The fact that Naruto couldn't control it only worried both Homura and Koharu. In addition to the fact, he had harmed the last Uchiha. They were not concerned about the fact that Sasuke had almost defected. Danzo, on the other hand, loved hearing this type of report. Although he outwardly was wary, on the inside, he almost couldn't contain the excitement of possibilities that the boy possessed. Naruto was Danzo's ticket to the Hokage seat and was going to become his ultimate weapon loyal to only Konoha. _

_Tsunade couldn't deal with this stupidity at the moment. She ordered everyone out of her office so she could think about her next move. Unfortunately, the next moves were already in motion, which would change Konoha's future forever._

_**Streets of Konoha**_

_Naruto was out of the care of Tsunade a couple of days after they returned. Due to the Kyuubi's healing, his wounds closed quickly and he felt really good. Good enough to walk the streets and get some ramen, despite Tsunade's orders to stay in bed. _

_As he walked the streets, he noticed his friends sitting in Yakiniku Q. They were all huddled on one table, discussing the events of the past couple of days. As Naruto got closer, he was about to say hello until he heard their discussion._

"_That Baka nearly killed Sasuke-kun! What kind of person does that to our precious Sasuke!" yelled two bimbos who had pink and blonde hair respectively._

"_Mendokuse, you two really are pieces of work. You do realize that Sasuke was leaving the village right?" Shikamaru retorted, annoyed at the way Sakura and especially Ino were talking about the situation._

"_Well, he didn't have to go bat-shit crazy and almost kill him!" Screamed Ino._

"_If it wasn't for Naruto, your "precious" Sasuke wouldn't even be in the village right now," Shikamaru said, with Choji nodding in agreement as he put another piece of steak in his mouth._

"_Are you seriously defending him right now Shikamaru? He nearly killed all of us. He lost control. It looked as though he was the Kyuubi reincarnate himself!" Kiba butted in._

"_How can you not be defending him right now? You do realize what the council is going to do to him right? This is our friend we are talking about Kiba. A friend that we all use to cut class with and play pranks on the village with when we were little. Don't you remember that Naruto?" Shikamaru said with disgust. Though he did realize that Naruto was a jinchuuriki and had lost control, Shikamaru was smart enough to know that Naruto was a person he still considered a friend._

"_I do remember that Naruto, but that was before I knew what type of monster he would become," replied Kiba which sparked a heated debate between Shikamaru, Kiba, Sakura and Ino. Even Choji butted in to back up Shikamaru._

_The others on the table though remained silent. Hinata, Shino, Neji, Lee and Tenten couldn't bring themselves to speak. Hinata was too nervous to say anything. Shino didn't know how to approach the matter with this teammate and other classmates. Tenten barely knew Naruto and wasn't there for the mission to give an opinion._

_Neji and Lee, on the other hand, didn't know what to say. Despite the fact that Naruto had made a tremendous impact on both their lives when it was time to defend him, they swallowed their words. They didn't know how or what to think of the situation. It was a mistake they would regret in the future._

_Naruto, on the other hand, was in shock. He couldn't believe that some of his friends would blame him for what happened to Sasuke. He also noticed the silence that came from the others. He thought they were all friends, especially after what he had just gone through. With the villagers, he could deal with their hatred towards him, however, seeing people who he thought were his friends attack him or stay silent on the matter, left a large wound in Naruto's heart._

_As he was about to leave, an Anbu appeared before him and ordered him to go to the council room._

_It was here, that Naruto had gotten the worst news of all._

**Present Time- Council Chambers**

"Genin Uzumaki Naruto…," Tsunade started, trying to power through the order she was about to give.

"You have been..been hereby….banished from Konoha," Tsunade stuttered, which sent shocked Naruto to the core.

"Why?! Tsunade-baachan, why…." Naruto squeaked out.

"Because of your actions during the Uchiha Retrieval Mission you brat! You nearly killed the last Uchiha from Konoha!" a council member from the civilian side spoke.

"We can't risk letting that thing get loose again! We should've killed you while we had the chance!" yelled a pink-haired council member.

"To think the Yondaime wasted his life for you disgusts me! We should've banished you long ago! If it wasn't for you, the Uchiha would've never left!"

"Enough!" Tsunade yelled as she slammed her fist on the table.

"Naruto, you have..until tomorrow….to pack your things...and leave.." Tsunade managed, trying to withhold the tears that would soon fall.

Naruto, confused and angered, decided to make one final stand.

"So you're going to banish a loyal shinobi for a traitor. Is that it? I bring your precious Uchiha home to you and this is the thanks I get!" Naruto started, the Kyuubi chakra starting to emit from his body. The civilian council members started to get nervous while the shinobi council prepared for the worst.

"You will regret today. From now on Konoha's days are numbered. I will make sure that without fail, this village burns down to the ground at my hands," Naruto said as his eyes started to red as the chakra started to become thicker.

Two Anbu appeared behind Naruto and knocked him out. With that, the Kyuubi's chakra dispersed. The council seemed to rest a little easier now.

"Take him back to his home. He has things to get in order," Tsunade ordered as the two Anbu shunshin Naruto and themselves away.

"That boy talks big, however his words are as meaningless as his skills. Like he could really do anything to any of us," one councilman spoke as he recomposed himself.

"You do realize that BOY single-handedly managed to bring the Uchiha home. If it wasn't for that BOY, your precious Uchiha would be with Orochimaru planning this village's destruction. I would choose your next words wisely councilman. If not, that seat you sit in will be empty the next time we meet," Tsunade threatened as the councilman looked away, trembling in fear.

"Now everyone can get the FUCK OUT OF MY OFFICE!"

**Naruto's House**

Naruto found himself in his house as night had fallen. Loud cheers could be heard from the streets as villagers and shinobi alike celebrated the return of their precious Uchiha and also of the news that the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was going to be banished.

Naruto believed that everything he had experienced was just a dream until he read the note that was left for him near his bed. It was the official order of Naruto's banishment.

Naruto couldn't believe it. Not only did his friends betray him, but also the village that he called home. He wanted to become Hokage so that people would accept him for who he is and not for who he carried inside of him.

But if this is what the village wanted, he would definitely make sure that it would burn to the ground.

And by his hands only.

Naruto packed everything he needed for his journey. During his packing, instead of thinking of all the good things that he did for Konoha or even the very few people who saw him as a human being like Ayame and Teuchi, he thought of all the mean things and poor treatment he received from the village.

He remembered the vile words that the villagers said about him when they returned from their mission. He recalled the numerous times that villagers made sure that their children wouldn't talk to him because he was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. He remembered that he was called the Dead Last and would never make it as a shinobi.

He remembered everything.

Naruto wouldn't wait to leave the village by sunrise. He would leave immediately.

However, he had one last parting gift to Konoha. The village wanted a celebration, they would definitely get one.

He snuck into the armory and got as many explosive tags that he could find. Being a prankster had some perks. He set up the tags all around the village. He also set up tags around his house, making sure to destroy the "great" memories he had in it alone. He bid it farewell, took his things and went to the top of the Hokage Monument.

As he stood atop the Yondaime's head, Naruto took one last look at the bustling village. He was disgusted at the celebration that was taking place. People celebrating a traitor and the banishment of a loyal shinobi.

As soon as the anger grew within him, Naruto activated the tags. A series of explosions all around the village caused a panic and a frenzy. His house exploded and almost made the entire building collapse.

Naruto could only chuckle at the destruction he had just caused. The celebratory cheers were now turning into panicked screams as the shinobi were trying to make sure people were safe.

Naruto left a note on top of the Yondaime's head. It was left for whoever found it to know that it was he who activated the explosive tags.

"This is only the beginning Konoha. Your days are numbered. Be prepared for the destruction at the hands of the dead last," he said to himself as he vanished.

**A/N This is a rewrite of the previous version. Lost interest in the first one but I'm back at it and have other ideas for how the story goes. Hopefully, it'll be 10x better than the first.**


	2. Entering the West

After leaving the village, Naruto wandered around Fire Country for a few days. Though he left the village earlier than expected, Naruto really didn't have a specific location he was locked on going to. He had brought a map but deemed it a little too hard to read at the moment. However, as long as he was out of Konoha was fine with him.

Unfortunately, he started to get hungry after running out of his supply of instant ramen. He decided that he needed to stop and get some food before continuing his journey. He entered a small trading outpost on the outskirts of Fire Country. No one seemed to notice or pay any attention to him as he entered.

He looked for a food place and as luck would have it, there was a small ramen shop. It wasn't overly crowded so Naruto was able to get his food quickly.

When he entered, he noticed two figures wearing long black cloaks with red clouds. As Naruto sat down to eat he could feel the aura of two figures standing there watching him. He was almost going to say something and ask them if they wanted anything, but unfortunately, the smell of ramen and the feeling of hunger overtook the young shinobi. Once he finished about five bowls, he paid, then exited. He noticed that the two figures that had been watching him were now gone.

As Naruto continued on, he entered a narrow road with many trees within its surroundings. Naruto seemed to be the only occupant on the path.

Just then the two figures jumped out of nowhere to confront the young wanderer.

"Uzumaki Naruto. The holder of the strongest bijuu, the Kyuubi. You will need to come with us," spoke one of the figures who held a large sword covered in bandages.

"I'm sick and tired of people ordering me around! The only way you'll be taking me is over my dead body," replied Naruto as he scowled at the two figures before him and took a defensive stance.

"Well that was the plan," grinned the figure with the sword. He prepared to strike Naruto until something interfered with him.

"Wait Kisame. Naruto, where is your hitai-ate? And why are you alone all the way in these parts? Where is your squad?" asked Itachi as he took off his hat that was concealing his identity.

"What squad? As you can see, I no longer associate myself with that disgusting village. You're Itachi, right? Sasuke's brother. You know some might've called me a hero for what I did, but instead, this is the thanks I get. Banishment," scowled Naruto as the venom in his voice was really evident when talking about Konoha.

"Why were you banished? Surely the village wouldn't have done something that stupid to let loose their most powerful weapon?" questioned a curious Itachi.

"Oi, Itachi, we don't have time for this. We need to capture the gaki. Dead or Alive," chimed Kisame as he had grown anxious at the chance to brag that it was he who captured the strongest bijuu.

Itachi waved him off and motioned for Naruto to explain. And boy did Naruto explain. As he finished his explanation, he made it known to Itachi the hate and anger he felt towards the one who caused his predicament.

"If it wasn't for your piece of shit brother, I wouldn't be in this mess. But now where were we? You said you wanted to capture me over my dead body right? Let's see if you guys are really to be feared," said Naruto as he got into a defensive stance. He would not go down without a fight.

"With pleasure," replied Kisame as he grinned with the delight.

Itachi however, had to think about what he was about to do. On one hand, he was tasked at capturing the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and bring him back. However, after what Naruto explained that it was his little brother that was causing all this trouble and also the corruption that was going on in Konoha, Itachi couldn't help but mull over his choices here. In the past, no matter what the circumstances were, he was always loyal to the village first. He would do anything for the village, as evident by him massacring his entire clan. But now he was starting to think on his own for once.

Using his own consciousness. Itachi started to think that maybe all of this evil and corruption could've been stopped had he made different decisions when he was in the village. He decided that he would be making his own decision for once.

As Kisame swung Samehada down onto a weaponless Naruto, Itachi shushined in front of the young blonde to block the attack.

"Itachi, what the hell are you doing? You know what our orders are, we need to bring the kid in," said Kisame in shock that his own partner was defending the boy.

"I know what the orders are but there will be a change of plans. We will not harm the boy nor will we take him back to the hideout. I know we've been partners up to this point but this is where we part ways," replied Itachi as he took a fighting stance and faced his partner.

Just as they were about to come to blows, both found that they were unable to move.

**"Kuchiyose: Gamaguchi Shibari(Toad Mouth Bind)!"**

Jiraiya had come out of nowhere and ensnared both Akatsuki members. Naruto, Itachi and Kisame were surprised at the arrival of the Toad Sannin.

Jiraiya had been watching the ordeal from a nearby tree. He was returning to Konoha after doing his "research". He sensed the powerful chakra that had been emitted from afar and waited to observe the situation.

Jiraiya had heard about Naruto's banishment through a scroll that Tsunade had sent via one of his messenger toads. Jiraiya became livid not only at the stupid council but Tsunade as well for her inability to do anything.

On the flip side, Jiraiya knew that he was entrusted to be Naruto's godfather and guardian, yet he was not there for him. Instead, he was off indulging in his "research" and other pleasures. He never knew how hard of a life Naruto lived and when they first met he thought very little of him. However, as time grew on, Naruto had shown Jiraiya the same determination and will that Jiraiya had seen in Minato.

Jiraiya had now regretted not being there for Naruto and vowed to make it up to him by teaching him everything he knew and also telling him of his heritage.

Though his current situation was sticky, Jiraiya vowed that he would do anything to make sure that Naruto would one day fulfill all of his dreams.

As both the Akatsuki members were stuck and unable to move, Jiraiya used this opportunity to charge up two Rasengans and was ready to end the lives of two of the strongest shinobi's alive until Naruto stepped in front of him. Jiraiya was caught off guard.

"Naruto move. Do you know who they are? If we don't finish things right now our situation will be bad," exclaimed Jiraiya as he looked at Naruto bewilderedly.

However, Naruto would not move. He explained to Jiraiya, Itachi's change of heart and wanted to believe that there was still good in the Uchiha. Jiraiya eventually relented and released the toad prison.

Naruto, out of the goodness of his heart, asked both Itachi and Kisame to join him on his quest to destroy Konoha. Though he was wary of the two missing-nin he saw that they were not as bad as they seemed.

Itachi accepted quickly and gave Kisame the option of joining or dying where he stood. Kisame finally relented after much pleading from Naruto.

"I guess this new mission could be fun as well. I think Samehada would appreciate some fresh bait," conceded the shark shinobi.

"Ero-Sennin? What about you? Will you join me in my journey to not only get revenge but rid this world of more corruption so that the peace you always dreamed of can happen?" asked Naruto as he wanted the person he saw as a grandfather figure in his life to join him as well.

Like Itachi, Jiraiya was torn. Konoha was home to him. No matter how long he was away from the village, he would come back and enjoy being in the place where he grew up. He made so many memories in the village that it would be hard for him to leave.

But after seeing the way Naruto was treated and the corruption that was brewing in the village, he accepted Naruto's offer. Plus he knew if he lost track of Naruto again, Minato and Kushina would make his experience in the afterlife very miserable.

"So where do we head off to now?" asked Kisame since they were now nomads and had no place to really call home.

"Maybe to Kiri? We can help with the war there. I happen to know a few of the rebels opposing the current Mizukage including Mei Terumi," spoke Jiraiya.

"Kiri would be too unstable right now. Maybe laying low in one of the smaller villages would be a good start. The Land of Iron would be an idea; place," added Itachi.

"Let's head West," said Naruto in a dull voice. "I overheard some messengers talking about that they almost died when they got close to the great wall."

"Naruto you can't be serious. No shinobi from the East has ever gone there and made it back to tell their tales. Plus that place is just non stop fighting. Though the four of us combined may be strong, but we wouldn't stand a chance on our own in the West," explained Jiraiya.

"Well I would take my chances there then being hunted by everyone we see here," replied Naruto, "plus maybe we can form an alliance or something with one of the groups out there."

"Well we could lay low there, no one would dare try to find us and maybe by our luck we could rule the West haha," joked Kisame with that last part.

This only gave Naruto more motivation to head West. If he was to get revenge on Konoha he would have to become stronger. The West seemed like a good place to start.

Itachi saw the look of determination in Naruto's eyes and saw that his mind was made up.

"It's settled then, we will head West," spoke Itachi to break the silence.

Meanwhile…

_**Konoha- Hokage's Office**_

After Naruto left, the village was placed on high alert. The little prank that Naruto pulled reduced some areas of the village to rubble. In particular, parts of the Uchiha residence and also the Hokage tower. Emergency crews were searching for people that may have been trapped under the rubble. From what they could tell, there were a few that were injured, but no casualties.

Tsunade had a feeling inside of her that this may have been Naruto's doing, noticing that his apartment was also destroyed, but she couldn't blame the gaki, he was banished for no good reason. On top of that, the people in the village worshiped the traitor he saved. After his banishment, Tsunade had gotten so drunk that no one, even Shizune, could reach her when the explosive tags went off in the village. Shizune and the shinobi council had to take charge to get emergency crews out to make sure people were safe.

When Shizune had told Tsunade about what had happened, she could have cared less. She couldn't believe the stupidity of both the civilian council and the shinobi council. Not to mention her so-called "advisors", who were more of a hindrance than anything.

Tsunade became so distraught and was sick and tired of the people in the village that she had prepared to resign from her duties as Hokage. Unfortunately, she knew that there would be a fight for the Hokage title and most likely that Danzo would inherit it.

Tsunade knew that the village would surely be destroyed if Danzo ran it. She didn't really care, but inside of her, there was still a small soft spot for Konoha. That is why she had picked the perfect candidate to lead. The only thing was being able to convince him.

Then the knock on the door came.

"Come in."

"You called for me Hokage-sama?" asked Kakashi as he made his way to the center of the room.

"Yes, I did Kakashi. I have important matters to discuss with you," Tsunade said as the Copy Ninja sighed a little bit.

"If you were talking about my mission, it was a dead end. In fact, I felt like I was going on a wild goose chase if anything. Even Yamato stated that it was a waste of our time," Kakashi explained.

"I could care less about your mission Kakashi. In fact, I don't even remember assigning you any mission," Tsunade said.

"An anbu was sent to me with a message from you with an important mission. I was beginning to wonder how legit it was, but it had your signature. Anyways, that's beside the point. Can we talk about this later Hokage-sama? I'm tired and would like to visit my students," Kakashi finished as he turned around to walk out.

"Kakashi, that's why you're here," Tsunade said as Kakashi stopped in his tracks.

"You're going to want to hear me out Kakashi," as the Copy Ninja turned around to face the Slug Sannin.

"Naruto's been banished," Tsunade stated bluntly as Kakashi got wide-eyed. His calmness had now turned to anger.

"He's what?!" Kakashi questioned.

Tsunade went on to explain the entire story. The civilian council, as well as the elders, wanted to banish Naruto for losing control of the Kyuubi and nearly killing Sasuke. She also mentioned how the shinobi council also partially agreed to the banishment due to their concern of Naruto being unstable and losing control. When Tsunade finished explaining, she was breaking into tears. Kakashi, on the other hand, was furious.

"And you couldn't do anything stop this?! Are you kidding me?! And now you're leaving me with all of your problems to deal with here?! I won't accept this Tsunade!" Kakashi yelled, angered at Tsunade's inability to stop the banishment.

"This is not a request Kakashi. This is a fucking order. You know as well as I do that Danzo would most likely become Hokage if I step down. Do you know how bad that will be for the village? Do you know how many people he's going to be sending out to look for Naruto? He's going to use the gaki as a pawn in his plans. Jiraiya has already said that he's looking for Naruto, but I'm going to go and look for him myself. Kami knows Minato and Kushina are tossing in their graves right now, knowing that the village banished their son for a traitor and I couldn't do anything about it. I have to fucking live with that for the rest of my life," Tsunade started as Kakashi decided to hear her out.

"This is a temporary assignment Kakashi. I'm going to find Naruto and when I do, you will be the first to know. In the meantime, besides Shizune and Jiraiya, you are the only one I trust right now. You will be communicating with me about everything that goes on in the village. You want to help Naruto, you need to make sure that none of the scumbags from this village ever try to lay a hand on him. Naruto does not want to return to the village. He made that very clear. When I find him, I will let you know and then you can come to see your student. Kami knows you may be the only one he trusts," Tsunade finished as Kakashi pondered the thought for a moment.

On one hand, he was furious at Tsunade and her inability to do anything as Hokage. On the other hand, being Hokage himself would let him protect Naruto from the village. Kakashi knew that Danzo and others from the village would most want Naruto for their own power. He would ensure that he would hold things down and make some wholesale changes to both the shinobi and the civilian council while Tsunade and Jiraiya looked for Naruto.

"The moment you find him, you will let me know so that I can leave this forsaken village," Kakashi seriously said.

"The moment I find him, you'll be the first to know," Tsunade responded as the two prepared and discussed their plans.

_**With Naruto**_

Naruto, Jiraiya, Itachi and Kisame were heading west towards the great wall that separated the West from the shinobi world. They were traveling incognito and were not seen as they made their way through Iwagakure.

After a few days of traveling, they finally made it to the wall during the dead of night. The wall was long, but not very tall. From what the four could observe, there were many different entrances into the West along the wall. They decided that they should camp out at one of them to try and see if they could find any weaknesses. Unfortunately, there were people patrolling the wall, both on the ground and from up high. The four shinobi decided that they needed a plan to get over the wall or through it without being detected.

"We need to scout the place to find its weak spot. I can't believe there are so many guys for one entrance," Kisame said, a little surprised by the heavy guards that were patrolling the area.

"Don't worry about that. I have already let my contact know where we are and if there is anything he can do to help us," Jiraiya explained, intriguing the other three.

"How do you know people from the West Ero-Sennin?" Naruto curiously asked.

"I concur Jiraiya-sama. It would've been nice to know this information beforehand," Itachi added.

"Well, he's not really a contact, as I only met him once and it was at least a few months ago. Secondly, he's an interesting fellow. I'm not sure if he is to be trusted," Jiraiya explained.

"Then why did you tell where we were? That'll get us killed old man!" Kisame furiously said.

"He's only one guy and there's four of us, I'm sure he won't be a problem if he does become our enemy," Jiraiya retorted.

Then, there was a large bang at the entrance.

The gates to the entrance had blown open and several men flying out of it. The guards on the top of the wall dropped down to try and contain whoever or whatever it was that destroying the entrance.

As the guards attacked, they were sent back flying left and right. It was as though whoever was attacking, wasn't even trying. The four shinobi hid behind some trees and bushes to get a better look.

They were very surprised by what they saw.

A man with a bald head, in a yellow one-piece jumpsuit with a golden buckle on his belt with a white cape, was knocking everything in sight. He was moving so fast that Itachi could barely pick him up with his Sharingan. The guards stood no chance at even touching him. The last guard literally took a shit in his pants before being punched way up in the sky.

Once the dust settled, the man looked….bored. He seemed really uninterested in the events that just occurred. He was scanning the area, looking for something.

"Is that him Jiraiya?" Kisame whispered, not wanting to be heard and only got a nod in response from Jiraiya. The four shinobi were shocked at the ease in which the man took out an entire squad of heavily armed guards without dropping a sweat.

"He would most certainly become a problem if he were to be an enemy to us," Jiraiya thought. He decided to step out into the open and get the man's attention.

"Ano, excuse me," he started as the man turned around to look at him. "It's uhhhh….been a long time hasn't it," Jiraiya nervously said, as the man was still staring at him, studying him.

"Oh, it's you," was the man's dull response.

"Thank kami, you remember me. I guess you got my message. Thanks for meeting us here," Jiraiya said, still unsure of the man and his intentions.

"Yeah. Well, if you want to come. Follow me," the man said as he turned around and started walking through the once guarded entrance and what was left of it.

Jiraiya signaled for Naruto, Itachi and Kisame to come out and follow him, as they slowly walked behind Jiraiya's contact.

As they walked, Jiraiya caught up with the man and introduced him to the other three. They found out his name was Saitama. He and Jiraiya had met because he had accidentally jumped over the wall during some training and landed in the east. He was lost and Jiraiya just so happened to be the one to give him directions. He thanked him and walked with Jiraiya for a bit, the two telling stories.

Before he returned to the West, Jiraiya had given Saitama a copy of Icha Icha Tactics, which the latter fell in love with. A pervert at heart, Saitama gave Jiraiya a contact card, in case he ever wanted to come to the West to advertise the book.

Naruto, Itachi and Kisame could only facepalm when hearing this. There are perverts in the West too, they thought.

Itachi wanted a little bit of background of the West as they continued on. Just as Saitama started, a group of bandits appeared out of the forest and attacked. They were ordinary bandits, trying to make a quick buck. There were at least 20 of them, all carrying some type of weapon. Saitama, Jiraiya, Itachi and Kisame easily dispatched most of them, however, Naruto was in a bit of trouble.

Two bandits were teaming up and giving Naruto a really hard time. They had backed him into a corner, and Naruto had already used up most of his clones. One bandit was distracting Naruto with a sickle and chain, forcing Naruto to dodge and deflect the attack. The other was sneaking up behind an unsuspecting Naruto, who lost track of him. He was about to slash Naruto when out of nowhere, Saitama punched his head and knocked it right off the bandit's body. The lone bandit now, tried to run, only to be cut down by Kisame.

"Are you alright Naruto-san," Saitama asked as Naruto looked at him nervously and responded with a head nod.

"You need to be more aware of your surroundings, gaki. This is life or death. You could've gotten killed you know," Kisame added, a little disappointed that the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was so weak.

"Calm down Kisame. With how Naruto was treated in that village, it is no surprise his skills are not up to par yet," Itachi cut in, with Naruto feeling a little embarrassed.

"Well if we're going to survive here, we can't keep looking out for him as we defend ourselves," Kisame responded.

Itachi knew Kisame was right. If the rumors about the West were true, the four shinobi and their new comrade would be in nonstop fighting. If they wanted to increase their chances of survival, Naruto would need to improve his skills, and fast. Itachi looked at Jiraiya for some guidance, but the Toad Sannin was a bit lost in his thoughts.

After a few moments, Jiraiya snapped out of it. He had a plan. Naruto would train will all of them. Jiraiya and Itachi would train Naruto to improve his ninjutsu. Kisame would help Naruto learn Kenjutsu and also how to properly use and manipulate his large chakra reserves. Saitama agreed to help Naruto with taijutsu, though he explained it would be hard to spar with him since he has the ability to kill people with just one punch.

Naruto agreed without hesitation. He knew he was still weak and that there was so much more that he could improve on. He wanted to make Konoha pay for his banishment, by turning into the deadliest and strongest shinobi known to mankind. Saitama picked up on this as well. He realized that Naruto had something about him that stood out. He couldn't exactly put his finger on it, but he knew that there was something about the young blonde that told him he would be great one day.

As the group continued on, Saitama went back to explaining the history of the West, from what he knew.

"So here in the West, it's just non-stop fighting," he started as the four shinobi listened intently to what he was about to say.

"That's all I know," he finished.

. . . . . . . . . .

The four shinobi deadpanned. They were very disappointed with that explanation.

Saitama explained that he knew there were some factions in the West, but didn't belong to any and was basically a loner. His explanation,

"They talk too much and have long explanations. I find that boring." The four Eastern shinobi nearly fainted at the stupidity of his reasoning. Jiraiya could only massage his temples, thinking of a certain Nara who was the same way.

"So you have no allies here whatsoever," Naruto gasped, getting a nod from Saitama in return.

They were doomed. "Coming to the West seemed like a mistake now," Naruto thought.

The group continued walking into the forest. They decided that they should set up camp for the night, with two at a time as guards. They found a little campsite area that looked abandoned. They set up two tents that they could use for rest if they weren't on guard duty. Unfortunately, none of them would be getting any sleep for the evening.

As the group settled in, Naruto and Jiraiya had gotten the first watch. They had lit a fire to keep themselves warm for the night.

Out of nowhere, the group was surrounded by 8 figures. All had taken fighting stances, as Naruto and Jiraiya did the same.

One of the shorter figures stepped forward, his face became visible due to the campfire. He looked like a teenager, maybe 4-5 years older than Naruto.

"You are trespassing in Ryozanpaku territory. State your business."

**A/N The story does start off a little slow but expect it to ramp up in a few chapters. Review if you wish.**


	3. My Dream of Peace

"You are trespassing in Ryozanpaku territory. State your business," the young man said as Itachi, Kisame, and Saitama made their presence known. They also readied themselves for battle, but something felt off.

Especially for Itachi, who had his Sharingan activated. He noticed something different about these strangers. Their chakra levels were different. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Their power levels were spiking off the charts.

"We mean no harm," Jiraiya stepped up to speak, although a bit nervously. He realized that they were outnumbered and even though they were strong, these people seemed stronger.

"We are new here, we have come from the East. We did not realize we were trespassing on anyone's lands. Please forgive us for our intrusion. If you would like, we can leave immediately," Jiraiya finished as the young man looked at him with a cocked brow.

"Oh? And where will you go after?" he asked.

Jiraiya pondered for a moment. There really was nowhere else to go from here. They could turn back and try their luck in the East again, but that wasn't really an option considering Naruto wanted to come West. Unfortunately, they were all out of options at this point.

"It seems like we will have to turn back and return to where we came from," Jiraiya said, which got him a disappointing look from Naruto. Itachi and Kisame reluctantly agreed with Jiraiya's assessment. There was no way they could find a place to stay in the West, especially if everyone they met were like the people they were surrounded by.

The young man just observed the 4 eastern shinobi and Saitama before nodding his head. He noticed the disappointing look on the young blonde's face as he dejectedly started to walk back to his tent and start packing his things. The rest of the group did the same as they got their belongings together and started to break down the campsite. They never noticed the large figure approaching the area.

"My, my what is all the commotion about tonight," spoke the figure as the young man who was observing Naruto turned around to greet the new visitor.

"Ah, Elder. We had some intruders here at the campsite. They seem to be strong fighters from the East, but they have come in peace. They were just packing their things and leaving," he said as the elder now stepped closer, observing the group.

"Where will they go?" the elder asked.

"They said they will most likely return home, grandfather," said a girl, who had long, blonde hair.

The Elder seemed to accept that answer before he had an idea. A small grin crept on his face as Naruto and the others were just about done with getting ready to leave.

"Nonsense!" the elder started as the eastern shinobi turned to see who this new person talking was.

"We have plenty of lodging here for them to stay at," the elder said, looking in the direction of the eastern shinobi.

"Excuse me, Elder, although I do respect your idea, we do not know these people. They are strangers, and could be spies from one of the warring states," the young man said.

"Nonsense, Ken-chan. They have said that they mean no harm. I'm sure they are all good people. Am I right?" the elder asked as the eastern shinobi bowed their heads while Saitama just nodded.

"Not to mention they can pay the mandatory 10,000 ryo fee per person it is to stay here," the elder whispered as Kenichi could only shake his head.

"It's always about the money," the young apprentice thought.

"We would be honored sir, but we do not want to be a hindrance to you and your people," Itachi spoke as the elder started to laugh.

"A hindrance? Don't worry about that. You have no place to stay and have traveled far! You all must be tired. Plus, it's dangerous to go back out there at this time of night. Bandits have been known to frequent the area. So please come! At least stay for a few days so that you can rest and continue your journey," the Elder said.

Jiraiya, Itachi, Kisame, and Naruto huddled before making their decision. Saitama was left standing by himself, still looking bored as ever.

"What if this is some type of trick to get us and then rob us of all we have?" Kisame asked.

"Well not like we can do anything about it anyway, they outnumber us and their strength looks far superior to ours," Itachi answered. Jiraiya and Naruto agreed with his answer. It was a lose-lose regardless. However, they decided that they would be on guard at all times and that they would only stay for a day or two. They then broke the huddle.

"If it is no trouble, we would like to accept your kind offer," Jiraiya said as the elder was ecstatic.

"Wonderful! Now, before you can lodge here, however, there is one more important matter to discuss," the elder said, now in a more serious tone. The shinobi were prepared for the worst.

"There is a fee for staying in our dojo. It will be about 10,000 ryo fee for each of you," the elder stated as the shinobi dropped their heads in disappointment. They knew it was too good to be true. They definitely didn't have 50,000 ryo to fork over and even if they did, that means they would be completely broke in a totally foreign area. Not to mention that now, they could be scammed out of a place to stay.

"Now, now, don't look so disappointed. Even if you don't have 10,000 ryo for each of you right now, I'm sure we can come up with some kind of plan for it?" the Elder said as Jiraiya started to fidget around his pocket. He took out his wallet and started to count how much money he had. He was a bit shocked at the amount and turned to the others with a small smile on his face.

"I have 50,000 ryo exactly," Jiraiya said, taking out the money and handing it to the young blonde girl who stepped up to take it. She counted it and nodded her head to her grandfather.

"Perfect! It is settled then. Please follow us back to the compound so we can show you to your rooms," The Elder said as the eastern shinobi and Saitama did as they were told. They were followed by the 8 figures as they made their way to the large compound.

The compound was huge. Probably as big as some of the Shinobi family compounds in Konoha. The compound of Ryozanpaku had two large buildings that were used for housing and other miscellaneous purposes, while the dojo was even bigger than the two buildings combined. There was also a hot spring in the forest in addition to the campsite. There was a large main gate at the front and a little down the street from the compound was Ma Kensei's acupuncture clinic and Kouetsuji's orthopedic practice.

The eastern shinobi plus Saitama were each given a room in the main building. They had makeshift beds made for them and were given privacy away from the other masters of Ryozanpaku. Although, there would always be a master on watch of their new guests just in case.

The eastern shinobi and Saitama made themselves comfortable in their new arrangements. Though they made plans of always being alert and on guard, they felt that this place was a bit different. There were little occupants in the compound other than the masters, the elder, and the young man and woman.

All of them remained up that night, not being able to get any sleep. Well, all of them except Naruto.

He was beat.

The journey here to the West took them long enough and then having to deal with so many different things, Naruto needed sleep. He knew that in the future, he may not get much of it, so getting the most of it now was the best he could do.

**The Next Morning**

Naruto awoke to the bright light of the sun hitting his face through the window in his room. Compared to the last few days, today seemed like a beautiful day. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and went through his morning routine. He found Itachi, Jiraiya, Kisame, and Saitama sitting in the living area all sitting on chairs. It was evident to Naruto that they did not get any sleep.

"You're finally up gaki," Jiraiya said, smiling to the young blonde as Naruto nodded. Itachi, Kisame, and Saitama looked up to see the young jinchuuriki approaching them.

"How was your rest Naruto?" Itachi asked.

"It was good, probably the best sleep I've gotten the past few days," Naruto responded.

"Good, because that is probably the most sleep you're going to get for a while gaki," Kisame added which got a head nod from Naruto.

As they all sat down in silence, a knock came at the door of the living area. The door slid open and the young man from the previous night entered along with the young woman.

"I hope we aren't interrupting anything," the young woman asked.

"Nothing at all. We were all just waking up," Jiraiya responded with a weary smile.

"Perfect. Well, we would like to properly introduce ourselves to you all before anything else. My name is Miu Furinji and this is Kenichi Shirahama. We are students here at Ryozanpaku. We know you all might be a little suspicious of us and to be honest, the feeling is a bit mutual, however, you are our guests. And since you are our guests, we have prepared breakfast for all of you if you would like. We didn't know what you wanted so we prepared plenty of options for you," Miu finished as Naruto perked up at breakfast.

The group was a bit hungry and hadn't eaten in a while. Breakfast sounded like a terrific idea. They all got up and followed Miu and Kenichi to one of the rooms in the dojo where the breakfast spread was laid out.

Everything from eggs, bacon, potatoes, vegetables, baked goods, cereal, milk were all laid out nicely on the table for them to choose from. Naruto's mouth salivated at the great looking food, though the table looked like it was missing something.

"Ano, do you guys have ramen by any chance?" he asked, much to the chagrin of Jiraiya.

"Oi Naruto, just eat the food here. They are not our servants," Jiraiya scolded.

Miu could only chuckle a bit at the request. "We do have ramen actually. However, If you would like some, you will have to wait for lunch or dinner," she answered which Naruto perked up at. He couldn't wait for ramen at his next meal.

"Please eat. I would hurry before the other masters arrive. We prepared a lot of food, but they will clean us out easily," Kenichi said as the eastern shinobi hurriedly went to get their food. Even Itachi and Saitama were eager to start eating.

As they all sat down, the 8 other masters and the elder started to trickle into the food area, and just like Kenichi said, the masters started to clean house with the food. The group noticed how fast the masters ate and how they immediately went for more. In fact, the masters ate so fast that the eastern shinobi group barely even saw them put the food into their mouths.

They were amazed that even a small thing like eating made these Westerners, people that they should fear. Naruto was even more amazed. If he wanted to become strong here in the west, it seemed like this was the place to do it. He would need to convince Jiraiya that this was a place they needed to be at and that they should stay as long as possible.

After breakfast, Miu and Kenichi took the group to the main room in the dojo. They had mentioned that the Elder wanted to speak to them. When they got their, the Elder was already waiting for them. As they entered the large room, the group sat in the center of the dojo, in front of the Elder, while Kenichi and Miu sat off to the side of the room.

"My apologies at breakfast. I know we didn't get to properly introduce ourselves to you all. Usually, when we get guests, my granddaughter and Ken-chan cook up quite the meal for us all. It's a real treat and we know that it won't last so we must eat as much as we can. Anyways, that's beside the fact. My name is Hayato Furinji. I am the Elder here at Ryozanpaku. I know you have already met my granddaughter Miu and Ken-chan. What are all your names?

The eastern shinobi went down the line and Saitama also gave his name.

"Well, it is nice to formally meet you all. Ken-chan here tells me that you all seem like strong fighters from the East. If I may ask, what brings you here to Ryozanpaku?"

"Um well Elder, specifically we are from a village called Konoha. We are escaping persecution at the hands of many dangerous people there," Jiraiya explained as this piqued the interest of the Elder.

"Oh? And why might you all be suffering from persecution? Have you all done something you were not supposed to?" he asked.

"Ah, no Elder. We haven't done anything wrong. We also didn't mean to trespass on your territory. We are just looking for a place to lay low. There are many people that want to use Naruto," Jiraiya explained.

"And why would people want to use young Naruto here? He seems like a good boy who hasn't done anything wrong," the elder stated.

"He was banished for doing his job, Elder," Jiraiya said.

"I'm not sure I understand?" the Elder questioned. Jiraiya turned to Naruto. It was now his turn to speak.

Naruto explained the situation he was in. How he was sent with a squad of his peers to make sure that one of their own didn't end up in the hands of Orochimaru. Naruto explained that they were successful in their mission. However, he had lost control of the Kyuubi, who had been sealed inside of him. He explained that people in the village are scared of him and treated him poorly because they thought he was the reincarnate of the Kyuubi. Naruto explained his childhood growing up, how he never had anyone to really look after him, and how he just wanted to be accepted by everyone. He had a dream of being Hokage of his village, but now that dreamed had been crushed.

Itachi felt pain and disappointment when Naruto explained his life. He was very disappointed in not only the village, but at himself for what had become of both Naruto and Sasuke.

The elder Furinji could only look on in astonishment at the story of Naruto. He didn't understand how people could be so stupid about things like these. Miu was quietly crying, listening to Naruto's predicament that he was put in. Kenichi also was disappointed and saddened for the young shinobi and the life he had to live.

When Naruto finished, he could feel that anger boiling up inside of him again. Just talking about it made bad memories come back to him. He remembered everything that was said about him by not only the villagers, but also people he thought were his friends. He remembered those final words that he spoke at the last council meeting. He would make sure Konoha would burn at his hands, without fail.

The elder Furinji studied the young blonde boy for a minute. He could see the anger in the boys eyes. He could also see the hurt. He also saw that Naruto loved the place he grew up in. Despite the hate he received, he could tell that Naruto never gave up on his dreams and goals that he put forth for himself. Though they had just met, the Elder had already sensed that this young boy was going to do big things in the future.

"Maybe, just maybe, he is the one," the Elder thought.

"I do apologize for your circumstances young Naruto. No one, especially one so young, should ever go through what you have. However, I must tell you, here in the West, all we know is fighting to survive. I'm sure you all heard the stories of this place. Most of what you've heard is probably true," the elder stated as he started to explain the history of the west.

"The West has never seen peace. Where you all come from in the East, there are periods where there is little to no fighting. Here in the West, we are lucky if we get a week off. There are factions and warlords here that cannot be compared to where you all are from. In fact, I would be so much to say that if you all, maybe besides Saitama, were to go out on your own here, you wouldn't last a month. Though you may be considered strong in the East, here in the West, you are just in the middle of the pack in terms of fighters," the elder explained. The Eastern shinobi were now a bit discouraged at this. Even Kisame was a bit worried about their chances here.

"However, I do see potential in all of you, especially you, young Naruto. You have a strong determination and will inside of you that no matter the circumstances, you push on. You have your values and you stay true to them. You have not been given the proper training yet, but you have the potential to be strong, even stronger than I or any of the masters here in this dojo." Naruto perked up at hearing this. After stepping foot in the West, he didn't think he would ever match up to anybody here. However, hearing the Elder say that he had the most potential out of all of them, stirred that determination in Naruto even more.

"Originally, the plan was to let you all stay here for a few days. However, I see now that you all will be a tremendous asset to not only this dojo but to everyone here in it. I have made the decision that you may all stay here for as long as you like. As long as you agree to abide by our rules and fight for our side, you will always be welcome here. I see that we have similar values. I understand you want revenge on your village, but you also have a dream of peace. We also are fighting for peace. Quite frankly, I think it is time the West sees it's share of that. We have only known fighting, but I do think that you, young Naruto, can make that dream a reality."

Jiraiya, Itachi, Kisame and even Saitama were shocked at the Elder's words. Naruto was not strong at all, yet the Elder saw how much untapped potential the young blonde had.

"I thought after all this time that Minato was the child of prophecy that the old geezer toad was talking about. I was wrong. Naruto is definitely the Child of Prophecy," Jiraiya thought.

"We are gracious of your kind words elder. We will abide by your laws and fight by your side and be any kind of assistance we can be," Jiraiya said as he bowed which the others soon followed.

"No need to bow in front of me Jiraiya, or any of you. We are comrades now. We will all train together in our fight for peace," the elder said as he rose and went to greet the group in the center of the room. He shook hands with each member and strongly gripped Naruto's hand. Naruto flashed a shy grin, still a bit in shock of the Elder's words.

"I cannot fail. I will not fail. It's time to start counting down the days," Naruto thought.

**Few Months Later**

Though the eastern shinobi plus Saitama was allowed to stay and train, the Elder never said it would be easy. Just moments after their meeting with him, the compound of Ryozanpaku came under attack from a neighboring warlord. Ryozanpaku sprung into action, defending the compound with all they had. True to their word, Jiraiya, Itachi, Kisame, Saitama, and Naruto all joined in the fight. It went without saying that the battle was lopsided, with Ryozanpaku winning easily. Yet it was evident that despite his potential, there was plenty of work needed to be done in Naruto's case. He had trouble holding his own against one opponent. His training began immediately.

For the past few months, Naruto received training around the clock every day. Whether it was with Jiraiya, Itachi, Kisame, Saitama, or even Kenichi or Miu, Naruto was going at it. He had a rotating schedule every day of training that he would receive. If they were not fighting a neighboring clan or faction, Naruto was training. It was true that he got little sleep.

However, the training was starting to pay dividends. Naruto was more than holding his own against multiple opponents. His ninjutsu skills were improving, his taijutsu was improving, he even started to hold his own against Kisame with a sword. Naruto was no longer a weak link. If anything, he was now a competent fighter.

The only thing that didn't seem to be improving was his chakra control. His chakra was all out of whack because of the Kyuubi. Jiraiya had been loosening the seal on the Kyuubi, letting little by little of his chakra out for Naruto to use, yet nothing seemed to work. The chakra was a bit too strong for Naruto, even with Kisame helping him. There were a few times where Naruto nearly lost control, allowing the Kyuubi to take over him. Luckily. Jiraiya had his fuinjutsu to slap onto Naruto before things got out of hand.

Naruto was frustrated, to say the least. The damn Kyuubi was being hard to control. If he could just tap into the Kyuubi's power, it would allow him to become stronger so much faster. He cursed the stubborn Kyuubi, complaining about being stuck with him for the rest of his life.

What Naruto didn't know, however, was that the Kyuubi had been watching him from the inside. The Kyuubi was observing Naruto, getting an eerie feeling that reminded him of someone. It was soon time to make his presence known once again.

While Naruto was resting in his room one day, he was taken to his mindscape by the Kyuubi.

"What the hell. Where am I?" Naruto asked himself as the Kyuubi crept his way to the bars that trapped him in.

"**I've summoned you here, Gaki," **the Kyuubi said which forced Naruto to jump back.

"Damn you. It's you again. The one that's caused me all of these problems my entire life!" Naruto yelled.

"**Cry me a river, Gaki. You can blame the Yondaime for that. Anyway, that's beside the point and not the reason I've summoned you here."**

"Then why the fuck am I here?" Naruto asked, pissed that the source of his problems brought him here.

"**Because I have been watching you. Seeing you go from an idiot prankster to a competent shinobi in just a few months. It's interesting to watch you humans grow."**

"I would grow a lot faster if it wasn't for you. Ero-Sennin said my chakra is all out of whack because of you," Naruto retorted to the Kyuubi.

"**Like that old pervert knows anything about me. You could easily control my chakra, but you're still weak. You're even weaker than my previous jailer" **the Kyuubi teased, only making Naruto madder.

"Look who's talking about being weak. Aren't you supposed to be the strongest of the bijuu? Yet you easily got sealed by the Yondaime. Who's the weak one now?" Naruto retorted.

"**Are you trying to anger me, Gaki?" **the Kyuubi rose up, teeth showing.

"Did I make you angry? Isn't that cute? Between us, I'm not the weak one here. I'm your jailer. I decide whether to let you out or not. So why don't you be a good little inmate and shut up! Naruto teased, making the Kyuubi fuming mad.

"**I should've killed you when I had the chance! If it wasn't for your parents, you definitely wouldn't be alive right now!" **raged the Kyuubi.

"My parents? You fucker. So you did kill my parents!" now it was Naruto's turn to get angry.

"**Hmph. Why don't you ask that Old Pervert about your parents. He knew them very well. Maybe you'll see me a bit differently after. Now be gone, it was a mistake to summon you, Gaki." **the Kyuubi waved him away as Naruto snapped out of it. What did the Kyuubi mean by asking Ero-Sennin about his parents? Did Jiraiya somehow know Naruto's parents?

Naruto walked over to Jiraiya's room and saw the Toad Sannin writing down some things for his new Icha-Icha Tactics novel. He was planning on making a come back here in the West. It seemed like there were perverts all over this place and he could take advantage of that and make decent book sales.

"Ero-Sennin?" Naruto asked as he walked into the room.

"Oh, Naruto. What can I do for you?" the Toad Sannin asked, as he put away his writings and turned his attention to the young blonde.

"Did..did you know my parents?" Naruto asked much to Jiraiya's surprise.

"Why the sudden interest in your parents, Naruto?" the Toad Sannin asked.

"I talked with the Kyuubi, he said you would know who my parents were?"

"You talked to the Kyuubi? How? And what did he say about them? Jiraiya asked.

"He summoned me in my mindscape. He didn't say much about them, just that you knew them very well. If you know something Ero-Sennin, please tell me," Naruto said.

Jiraiya sighed, "I wanted to do this when the time was right, but I guess the cats out of the bag now. Come sit Naruto. I have much to tell you," he said as he motioned the young shinobi to sit down.

Jiraiya explained everything to Naruto. He explained that Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime, was his father and that Kushina Uzumaki was his mother. They both died the night that Naruto was born and that they died protecting Naruto from the Kyuubi. Jiraiya went on to explain their background and also how they had met and that he had trained Minato from an early age. He also explained the events of the night to Naruto, who was listening intently, with tears starting to form in his eyes and the anger starting to come back.

"Why didn't you tell me this?! That you knew my parents or even that you knew me since birth? Where were you when I was an orphan? Better yet, where were you or Tsunade baa-chan during my entire life?!" Naruto yelled, which attracted the attention of Itachi, Kisame, and Saitama.

Jiraiya explained to Naruto the Sandaime's law and how the deaths of Minato and Kushina affected both himself and Tsunade. Naruto was furious, to say the least. He was the son of the Yondaime, one of the greatest Hokages in Konoha. If people knew who he was, then he wouldn't have lived a shitty life like he had. The tears started to flow even more from Naruto now.

"Did they even love me? Did they know how hard I was going to have it? Having to carry the Kyuubi inside me for the rest of my life," Naruto said as the tears wouldn't stop.

"They loved you with all of their hearts, Naruto. That's why Minato sealed the Kyuubi in you because he trusted and believed in you. He couldn't put the burden on anyone else's child. He was the Hokage of the village. Your parents sacrificed their lives for the village and for you. I know I haven't been a great godfather or even a great teacher for that fact. But when you told me your dream of peace, it only reminded me of your father. I've made it my goal Naruto to make sure that your dream of peace is realized in this world. I understand if you can't forgive for keeping this from you, but I want you to know that from now on, I am always going to have your back," Jiraiya said.

"As will I," Itachi spoke as he entered the room.

"That village spat on the dying wishes of their hero, how sickening. Naruto-san, I will always have your back," Saitama said.

"You can count me in, Gaki," Kisame said.

Naruto's tears had stopped now. He couldn't believe the support he was now getting. This was a bit of a foreign concept to him still, yet, he appreciated it. Though he didn't like that Jiraiya had kept this information away from him, Naruto appreciated that the Toad Sannin had now divulged everything to him. Naruto didn't want to let his parents down. He couldn't. Not after they put so much of their trust into him.

"Thank you," he managed as the emotions started to overwhelm him.

As time passed, the 5 of them returned to their rooms to get some rest. It was early morning, and tomorrow, anything could happen. As Naruto closed his eyes, he found himself back in his mindscape.

He walked up to the bars that held the Kyuubi at bay. He noticed the seal that kept the Kyuubi from breaking free.

"**What is it that you want, Gaki? I see the Old Pervert has told you everything. What do you think of me now?" **

"I don't know what to think of you now. You killed my parents. You nearly killed me. After hearing what Ero-Sennin has said though, it has only made me more determined to achieve my goal. I just have one question for you, will you join me? I need to be as strong as possible to achieve my goal and you're one of the ways I can do that. I'll even lift the seal if you decide to help me," Naruto said causing the Kyuubi to cock his brows a bit.

The Kyuubi pondered this. He was very surprised by Naruto and how confident he sounded. He hated being sealed again into a human, especially by the Yondaime and Kushina, but the brat they produced was always surprising him. Watching his determination only increase made the Kyuubi very interested about what the future held for Naruto.

"**I have just one condition, Gaki," **he said. "What is it?" Naruto questioned.

"**I get to finish what I started the night of your birth and burn Konoha to the ground," **the Kyuubi said, a sly grin appearing on his face.

"Very well," was Naruto's answered. Which elicited a large grin now from the fox. Just as Naruto was about to leave, he heard the Kyuubi mumble something under his breath.

"What was that?" Naruto asked.

"**Kurama. My name is Kurama," **the Kyuubi answered.

"Kurama huh? Well, nice to meet you Kurama," Naruto smiled as he escaped his mindscape.

As he looked outside his window, he could see the full moon in the night sky. Naruto knew now what his new mission was going to be. If he wanted peace, this was the way he needed to do it. There were plenty of people who believed in him now. He wasn't going to let any of them down.

"Tou-chan, Kaa-chan. I won't let you guys down," he said as he prepared for bed.


	4. A Living Nightmare

**Time Skip - 6 Years Later**

**The West-The Emperor's Chambers**

"Genin Uzumaki Naruto," he saw his baa-chan giving him his banishment orders in front of the Konoha shinobi and civilian council.

"No, no, Baa-chan please!"

"You have been hereby banished from Konoha," Tsunade finished. Naruto couldn't move.

"Dear," said a soft voice.

"Murderer! Look at what you've done to the only Uchiha!" yelled one villager.

"We need to get rid of him now before it's too late!" yelled another.

"I was only fulfilling my mission," Naruto said.

"Dear! Dear!" came the voice again.

"That baka nearly killed Sasuke-kun!"

"He looked like the Kyuubi incarnate himself!"

"Hinata, Neji, Lee, Shino, Tenten, why won't you say anything," Naruto said, seeing his friends sitting in silence.

"Naruto you have to wake up!" came the voice, louder this time. Naruto immediately shot up from his sleeping position. He was sweating profusely. His clothes were soaked and his side of the bed was drenched in sweat. His heart was racing a thousand miles per hour as he tried to slow down his breathing. He rubbed his eyes before looking around the room. It was still dark, the moon illuminating through the window in the large room.

"It was only a dream," he thought as he looked down to see a pair of hands grab a hold of his.

He looked up as his eyes met the eyes of the other occupant in the bed. Her large, violet eyes staring at him with concern on her face. Her long pink hair flowed down the entirety of her back as she sat up to look at him. She moved closer, giving him a small peck on the lips. Her hand now on his cheek, feeling the sweat and warmth that he was radiating. Silence filled the room as the two stared into each other's eyes.

After a few moments of silence, she pulled him for a more passionate kiss. Their tongues fought for dominance over each other. Their hands feeling each other's bodies as they kissed like wild animals. After what seemed like minutes, they pulled apart, breathing heavily after their long make-out session. Naruto laid his head down in her lap, as she ran her hands through his hair. He was now calm, yet he was scared to close his eyes again, for fear of going back to sleep and see those memories. He just stared into space, enjoying the comfort of the woman's touch.

"I'm sorry I woke you, Euphie," he said, still staring at nothing.

"It's okay, Dear," she loving replied as she leaned down to kiss his forehead.

The Euphie, Naruto was referring to was none other than the former princess of the Britannia family, Euphemia li Britannia. She is a former princess because now she is the Empress of the United Western Empire and more importantly, Naruto's wife. She was second in command, only below Naruto, and was in charge of the more civilian matters in the Empire. She was kind and fair, yet strict when she needed to be, and the people loved her. They loved her, just as much as they loved her husband.

Over the past six years, things had changed drastically in the Western continent. There was no more fighting. Naruto's dreams of peace had been achieved. It took three long years of constant fighting and diplomacy, but the peace that had been sought after for thousands of years in the West had been realized and the main reason was because of Naruto.

He had become a central figure in what was now known as The Thousand Year War. With the training from Jiraiya, Itachi, Kisame, Saitama, and Ryozanpaku, Naruto became a force to be reckoned with. No matter how outmanned or outnumbered, Naruto could easily turn the tide of any battle.

His attitude and demeanor brought many strong allies to their side as well. Different factions decided to join, rather than fight Naruto due to his strength. His diplomatic abilities were also put on display, allowing there to be less loss of life. Though he was a great hero during the war, Naruto was not the first pick to become Emperor. In fact, he wasn't even among those that were in consideration to become Emperor. Jiraiya, Hayato Furinji, and Lelouch vi Britannia were among the candidates that were in consideration at first.

However, all three had turned the nomination down due to the fact that they knew Naruto was the perfect one for the job. They all knew that he had this charisma about him that everyone loved. He had the "It" factor and was a natural-born leader. If it wasn't for Naruto, the war may never have ended.

During this time, Naruto had met and had fallen in love with Euphemia during the war. When he had become Emperor, it was a no-brainer for Naruto to ask Euphemia to marry him, which she accepted immediately. They have been happily married for three years as they oversee the era of peace in the West.

Unfortunately, the painful memories of the past were something Naruto couldn't let go of.

"You had the nightmare again?" Euphemia asked.

"Yeah," was Naruto's response as Euphemia continued to play with her husband's hair. Naruto moved a bit, now facing up towards his wife.

"No matter what I do, the nightmares won't stop coming back," he said as his wife leaned down with another peck on the lips. She remained close to him, their foreheads touching as the two closed their eyes, enjoying the closeness.

"They will pay for what they've done to you. You should have never gone through that, especially when you were so young. I can't wait for the day when my Emperor shows them that the past has a way of catching up" she finished.

"In due time, Euphie. They will find out what the former Konoha Dead Last can really do," Naruto said as the two remained in their bed until sunrise.

While everything in the West was going well, Konoha was a different story.

**Konoha- Hokage Office**

It had been six years since Naruto's banishment and Konoha had seen better days. Especially for the Hokage, who despite being a figure of great importance, had turned into nothing more than just a figurehead.

Sitting in the Hokage seat was a man wearing a mask along with his hitai-ate covering his left eye. Despite being the Hokage, he still wore his jounin uniform and always carried a copy of Icha Icha Tactics on him.

He was currently in the process of trying to complete the enemy no Hokage had ever defeated.

Paperwork.

Kakashi sighed as he stamped yet another document of "importance". He never wanted this job in the first place, but with Tsunade's orders, he reluctantly accepted.

**_Flashback_**

_Like they had planned, Tsunade immediately resigned after Naruto's banishment. She cited that she needed a vacation for all the shit she had to put up with. She made it clear that no one was would come to look for her, or else there would be repercussions._

_This immediately threw the council room into chaos._

_Both the civilian and the shinobi side of the councils were in an uproar. This was a crucial time for them, especially with war brewing on the horizon, and losing one of their most powerful shinobi was sure to do them in. _

_However, a few proceeded to throw their names into the hat in order to get the Hokage title. Danzo was the one who seemed like a favorite, through the use of his hidden Sharingan and also because he basically had the civilian council in the palm of his hand. Luckily, Tsunade was prepared for this._

_She mentioned that Kakashi would take the title as the Rokudaime, much to the disappointment of Danzo and his supporters. They wanted to challenge this appointment until the Fire Daimyo showed up and made it clear that he had approved this hire. Though the Daimyo deemed Kakashi young and inexperienced, he was the best leader that could keep watch on things and also defend the village, citing that Kakashi was one of the most powerful shinobi currently in Konoha._

_When the fire Daimyo left, Tsunade reminded everyone to not come looking for her. She said that there was only one person that could bring her back on her own free will._

_That someone was Uzumaki Naruto._

_End Flashback_

Kakashi sighed again. He could only think back to how this entire situation escalated from one thing to another.

**_Flashback_**

_He was sent away on a mission the moment he returned with Naruto and Sasuke from the Uchiha Retrieval Mission. The mission was handed to him by an Anbu he didn't recognize. However, the mission scroll was signed by Tsunade herself. He had no choice but to comply. It was not a coincidence that he was sent away so quickly after he returned._

_When he returned to find out that Naruto had been banished, he was furious. He wanted to go after Naruto and tried to resign, but he was coerced into staying by Tsunade. He was the only one she trusted and needed him to help her give any information about Konoha's actions towards Naruto, knowing that Danzo would do anything to get his hands on the boy._

_They immediately went to the Fire Daimyo and convinced him and his court that this was the right course of action. The Fire Daimyo didn't have much say when it came to shinobi affairs and had not been notified of the vote to banish Naruto. He was disappointed, but his hands were tied. However, he approved Tsunade's request of handing the mantle of Hokage to Kakashi, despite some of his reservations about the Copy Ninja's qualifications. _

_When he became Hokage, he found out that the village had lost all of the alliances they had in place. Wave, Spring, and Suna had torn up the alliances once they heard of the details surrounding Naruto's banishment._

_Naruto had made a great impact on each one of these nations. It had brought Konoha in a good light to see that one of their own was making a great impact in other nations. However, when Naruto was banished for a traitor, their allies had lost all respect for Konoha._

_This made Kakashi think of all the people he failed to protect, Minato, Kushina, Rin, and Obito. During this time, he was reminded that despite one's personal loss, he would always need to be loyal to the village. The village held the Will of Fire to help those who have lost family or comrades to continue on with their lives._

_What bullshit._

_Tsunade convinced Kakashi to become Hokage, but he had every intention to skip town once Tsunade contacted him about Naruto's whereabouts. Unfortunately, weekly reports started to turn into monthly reports, then every few months he would get another report. Finding Naruto was harder than Tsunade imagined. Until then, he would have to manage being Hokage to the best of his abilities._

_What made it worse though was that Konoha was now being led by a Jonin with little political experience in a time where war was brewing. Kumo, Oto, and Iwa had formed an alliance together and were beginning on their assault on the eastern lands. The power-hungry Raikage and Tsuchikage agreed to this alliance purely for larger land territories and resources for their villages._

_Konoha was also a prime target since it was still considered one of the powerful shinobi villages. Yet without Jiraiya's spy network and their jinchuuriki, they were anything but powerful. Konoha also had no one who could really face off against Orochimaru by themselves, even though many claimed they could. The Snake Sannin brought both Kumo and Iwa together in hopes that he would return to Konoha and become its destroyer._

_Despite his earlier disappointments, Danzo took advantage of Kakashi being appointed the Hokage. He knew that Kakashi wasn't strong enough nor experienced enough to lead. This allowed Danzo to do as he pleased from the shadows like he always did. When his squad of ROOT anbu that he had sent out to find Naruto after the banishment order returned empty-handed, Danzo's plans hit a setback. Yet he knew that he just needed to just buy his time. He knew that once the people saw that Kakashi wasn't fit to be Hokage, it would be him that would take the mantle and lead Konoha to greatness once again._

_Before Tsunade resigned, Kakashi thought a little bit about being appointed Hokage and figured maybe it would be a good thing to have some power. He could change things that his Minato sensei wanted to happen and also protect Naruto in some way._

_How wrong he would be._

_His first day on the job, the civilian council voted to put Naruto and Jiraiya in the Bingo Book. When Kakashi found out about this he immediately ordered them to undo it. Tsunade had been able to keep Naruto and Jiraiya's name out the Bingo Book during her tenure through threats and physical violence. However, with Tsunade gone now, the council saw it as their window to act._

_Then he came to find out that the civilian council had somehow reinstated Sasuke Uchiha into the Shinobi Program. Kakashi tried to overturn this decision but again the council voted in favor, though there were those in the shinobi council who vehemently opposed this._

_Then the following month the civilian council came together to enact the Clan Restoration Act for the Uchiha._

_Sasuke had requested that he rebuild his clan and would like to enact the CRA. Since this was considered more a civilian matter, the civilians held the most influence on the decisions._

_Sasuke had originally chosen Sakura Haruno as his main wife, however, once he saw a changed Hinata sparring with her team, he immediately took a liking to how strong she became. He thought that she would produce him powerful offspring to bring back the might of the Uchiha Clan. He chose Sakura, Ino, Tenten, and Anko as secondary wives. He had chosen them out of pure lust, only wanting them for their bodies and heirs that they would produce._

_A big wedding was to be held for Sasuke and Hinata all funded by the civilian council themselves. The shinobi were furious. Inoichi Yamanaka and Hiashi Hyuuga, especially, since it was their daughters that were to be married to the traitor. Anko was also opposed stating she'd rather fuck Orochimaru then the Uchiha. Hiashi with his quick thinking though, had Hinata go on many "diplomatic" missions outside of the village to improve village relations, but more to stall the wedding until the shinobi could find a way to end it altogether._

_Although they had supported the decision of banishment initially, there were some on the shinobi council who had regretted their decisions on the matter. The original Ino-Shika-Cho was one of them, Might Guy and also Hiashi Hyuuga. They knew that Naruto carried the burden of being the Kyuubi. Most of them at first, wanted nothing to do with him, despite knowing who his parents were. It was only after he was banished that they started to see the impact he had made in other's lives including their own children. _

_Speaking of their children, the Konoha eleven had also changed during the years after Naruto's banishment._

_Sasuke was sentenced to house arrest and forbidden to study the arts of the shinobi until she saw it fit to release him, which would have been never. Tsunade had imposed this punishment and when the council tried to undermine her authority, the Fire Daimyo showed up and reinforced the law. He also added a stipulation that if anyone was caught to help the Uchiha, they would publicly be executed along with the precious Uchiha._

_Sasuke's house arrest only made him more thirsty for power. He realized that the Dobe had matched him and that if he wanted to kill Itachi, he would need more power. He vowed that he would become the most powerful shinobi on earth. A god among men he thought._

_From his house, he also got a look at Hinata Hyuuga during her beatdown of Kiba and Shino. He saw how powerful she had become in such a little time and wanted her to produce his offspring. Sasuke also knew that Hinata still loved Naruto and that if he could steal her away, he would be dealing a blow to the Dobe._

_Sakura had never gotten over her Sasuke obsession. She visited him every day while he was in the hospital and during his house arrest, despite his cold attitude towards her. Eventually, she was placed on a different team but still would proclaim to everyone how her Sasuke-kun was the greatest ever!_

_Despite being a huge Sasuke fangirl when she was younger, Ino had grown out of her obsession with the Uchiha. A while later she heard that Sasuke actually tried to leave the village and saw the mission reports of what he had done to Naruto. It was then that she decided that he was not worth her future and instead focused on training with Shikamaru and Choji. They had all made Chuunin at the next exams that were held in Suna, despite the hostility they received by the Sand and its shinobi. They also regretted turning their backs on Naruto in his time in need, Ino included. They had hoped they would meet him again one day and ask for his forgiveness by any means possible. _

_Team Guy had all become Jonin within a couple of years after Naruto's banishment and all had had their very own genin squads. Neji and Lee had made up their minds that they would become the best shinobi they could for Naruto's sake. They never forgot what he had done for them and despite some of their friends turning their backs on Naruto, they decided to do the right thing and honor him whenever they could._

_The one that changed the most, however, was Hinata. When Naruto was banished, she shut herself out from everybody. She had locked herself in her room for nearly two weeks. When she came out, she transformed from the shy, stuttering girl to a cold and ruthless fighter._

_It didn't matter if you were a friend, family, or just a plain stranger to Hinata. You talked shit about Naruto and you would get your ass handed to you. Two Hyuuga main branch members learned that the hard way._

_Kiba also never shied away from insulting Naruto when he got the chance and while Shino remained quiet, it felt as though he thought that banishment wasn't the right decision._

_When Hinata resumed training with her team they sparred with each other which resulted in Hinata nearly killing both Kiba and Shino. She used her Gentle Fist more aggressively than Kiba and Shino had ever seen before. She was only stopped when Kurenai and Asuma combined put her down before she actually killed her teammates._

_Hiashi saw the change in his daughter and was growing very concerned. Though he was the one who pushed her to become stronger, he didn't like how she eventually turned out. He truly did love her and only pushed her so that she would one day be a great clan head. He started to miss her shy demeanor that he had come to know and love even though he never showed it._

_The Hyuuga elders also saw that Hinata was getting out of hand and harder to control, so they forcefully moved to brand Hinata with the Caged Bird Seal and put her in the House branch. Hiashi was opposed but the elders overruled his judgment._

_Funny how elders and councils seem to have more power than clan heads or the Hokage. Interesting._

_Hinata was then chosen to be the main wife of Sasuke Uchiha which the Hyuuga elders immediately accepted. Having offspring with two of the most powerful Kekkei Genkai would be their ticket to becoming the most powerful clan in Konoha and also in the future, the Hokage seat. Hiashi's father was the one who led the biggest push for Hinata's arranged marriage, only seeing his granddaughter as the ticket to the Hyuuga being immortalized._

**_End Flashback_**

Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts when a knock came to his door.

"Come in," he said as a squad that he handpicked came into the room.

"You called for us Hokage-sama," spoke Asuma as himself, Kurenai, Ino-Shika-Cho 2, Neji, Rock Lee, Tenten, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata entered the paper filled office space.

Koharu, Homura, and Danzo also entered behind them though they were uninvited. Kakashi paid them no mind though.

"Yes, I did. I don't need to remind you all that the village has been going through some rough times. We have lost many of our previous alliances and are in desperate need of new ones.

I have chosen all of you for this mission. It is an S-rank mission of the utmost importance." spoke Kakashi as his voice sounded considerably tired and worn out. Even though he half-assed the Hokage job, it still took a toll on him.

Though he was still young, taking the Hokage position really aged him.

"I have managed to gain an audience with the West."

The shinobi and elders in the room were shocked. The Empire to the West had only surfaced a few years ago. They heard the war stories of the West and couldn't believe that now it was a unified continent. Members of the Konoha eleven also perked up at this because there were rumors that the West was where Naruto had gone after his banishment.

Not to mention that the Konoha 11 had met the emperor a few times in battle. They did not know it at the time, but almost all of the Konoha 11 had fought him and were defeated. He knew how they fought and easily picked them apart as though they were a play doll. Only when the Uchiha had met the emperor in battle and returned to Konoha in serious condition did they find out that the man with the Tengu mask was the Emperor of the West.

It seemed strange to Kakashi that the Emperor would welcome the envoy from Konoha despite their earlier meetings. However, in desperate times Kakashi needed to take that chance to gain an ally. Any ally would do at this point or else Konoha would eventually fall. He also held out hope that Naruto would be in the West.

"Now like I said gaining allies is very important. This village cannot go through a war without any help. We are going to be targeted soon and if we fight in our current situation, we won't stand a chance," Kakashi explained.

"If you have gained an audience with the West, then it would be best if I also went with the group to see if they are strong and powerful like the reports have stated," Danzo spoke, though he also wanted to see if the West could be overtaken once Konoha had won this war.

Kakashi looked at the old man with a questionable look. He knew Danzo would be up to something but he didn't know what.

"I think it would be a good idea Hokage-sama," spoke up Koharu. "Danzo has expertise in observing power and would be a valuable asset on this mission," she stated as though the decision was already made.

Kakashi wanted no arguments and just agreed. "I see, I guess it wouldn't hurt. Just make sure none of you do anything stupid to anger the West. The mission is to gain allies, not make more enemies understood?" as he looked directly at Danzo with that last part.

"Very well Hokage-sama I will be taking Sasuke Uchiha and Sai with me as my protection detail," Danzo said flatly. Hinata and Ino grew nauseous at the mere mention of the Uchiha.

"What's wrong with this group right here? You have more than enough protection with this group of shinobi?" questioned Kakashi.

"Oh, there is nothing wrong. I just believe that in order to further ensure my protection, the Uchiha and Sai should also accompany me." explained the one-eyed elder.

"Very well, you have one hour to pack your belongings and you will set off immediately after that. The future of Konoha is in your hands." Kakashi stated then dismissed everyone from his office.

As he looked out the window at the Hokage Monument, Kakashi got this ominous feeling that the mission he had just set up would fail and that the past would soon catch up to Konoha.

"Minato-Sensei, please forgive for everything that has happened. I've failed in protecting both you and Kushina. I failed in protecting Rin and Obito. And now I've failed in protecting your son." Kakashi thought to himself as tears started to fall from his eyes.

He took off his hitai-ate and wept in his office.

Despite having no more love for Konoha, this was a place that gave Kakashi so many memories. He found parental figures in Minato and Kushina. He found teammates who he actually cared about. He was given students that were different from the others, that he even grew attached to. He was still suffering from some indecisiveness. Konoha was always his home and he fought tooth and nail to protect it. Yet, it was the fact that Naruto was his responsibility and he failed his sensei and his sensei's wife. They would never forgive him. He needed to make up for it somehow. He wanted to make sure Naruto was safe and to make sure he found out about his true heritage.

As the Hokage was letting out his tears, an ominous figure observed him from a safe distance. He grinned under his orange, spiral mask and shunshin to another part of the village.

The figure ended up in the Konoha Cemetery. He found the graves that said 'Rin Nohara' and 'Obito Uchiha'. He saw that the flowers had just recently been replaced from the last time he had visited. He took the flowers from both graves and crushed them in his hands.

After taking one last glance and the gravestones, he disappeared.


	5. Mom & Dad

**Emperor's Chambers**

The sun was now shining in the large room. Naruto and Euphemia hadn't moved from the position they were in. It was almost a routine for them whenever Naruto had his nightmares. They would stay up until it was time to start their day. Though she would sometimes be tired and needed her rest, Euphemia knew it was her duty to make sure her husband was okay. She would even sometimes take over his responsibilities for the day if he felt he needed to be alone.

Husband and wife were talking about random things before a knock came at the door. Naruto groaned, knowing who it was without even getting up from Euphemia's lap.

"No Walter! Please give us like another 20 minutes," Naruto yelled as the knocks only came louder.

"Walter I sad no!" Euphemia could only giggle at her husband's antics.

The door opened anyway. In stepped a tall, thin man. He was wearing black pants, a white dress shirt with a purple tie and a purple vest. He was wearing white gloves today and his hair was in its usual ponytail. He had a soft grin on his face, amused at the young Emperor's antics this morning, though he was used to it.

"I apologize Naruto-sama, but you have a council meeting today and you told me yesterday that no matter what you say, to wake you up without fail," the butler replied as Naruto buried his face in Euphemia's lap and groaned. He most definitely did tell him that and for good reason, but Naruto was in no mood to do anything right now.

Another figure soon joined the three others in the room. She rode in on her wheelchair, with a soft grin on her face as well. She could hear her brother-in-law from down the hall, knowing all too well the mood he was in this morning.

"Nii-chan, it's time to wake up," she said strongly as Naruto unburied his face to look at her. He could only sigh in defeat. It was going to be a long day today.

"Hai, Nunnally," Naruto said as his tired look turned to a smile as he saw his sister-in-law. Naruto had a large soft spot for Nunnally. Not because she was disabled, but because of how she composed herself despite her paralysis. He saw the way she looked at life and how she never let anything bother her. Not to mention the fact that she was family now and that was something he always wanted. Having a little sister gave him a sense of responsibility to be a good example of a ruler, especially since she was one of the very first ones to put her trust in him.

"Well, as much as I would love to stay in this COMFORTABLE bed with my BEAUTIFUL WIFE, it seems that duty calls," Naruto sarcastically spoke aloud as he gave his wife a kiss on the lips before getting out of bed to get ready for the day.

As he got ready, there was a noticeable pop of orange coming from the open closet. No matter how old Naruto was, he could never get over his obsession with orange. Luckily Euphemia was alright with the color, yet told him he needed nicer clothes to wear to work. Naruto just stuck with a nice orange collared dress shirt and black slacks and his shoes.

Nunnally joked about Naruto's wardrobe one day, that even though she was blind, the orange was almost too strong for her eyes.

"Simple, effective, and downright sexy," Naruto remembered Euphemia saying which led him to wear almost the same thing every day.

As Naruto finished getting ready, he went off to work. Walter followed as Nunnally stayed in the room with her sister, who also needed to start getting ready.

"You really know how to pick them Nee-sama," Nunnally joked which got a laugh out of Euphemia.

As Naruto walked down the large hall to get to the stairs, he saw Itachi looking out at the view of the city. Naruto thanked Walter for the wake up call.

"Of course, Naruto-sama," the butler bowed.

"Ah! What did I say, Walter. No need for the sama. You know that," Naruto huffed as he was never one for formal greetings. The butler just smiled as he took his leave.

Naruto made his way over to Itachi, who never took his gaze off of the beautiful view of the city. The sun was just about rising and Itachi could see the people in the city about to start their day.

"It's a beautiful view isn't it?" Naruto asked as he stood by Itachi, also focusing his gaze on the awakening city.

"It really is. I can't believe this place was just a wasteland just a few years ago. Now, it's a beautiful city and country that we can call home now," Itachi said as he turned to look at Naruto.

"I also can't believe how much you've grown Naruto. You were a troublemaker and now look at you. You're the Emperor of probably the most powerful country mankind will ever see," Itachi finished as he saw Naruto put on a smile. It was indeed a true statement.

"Alright loverboys, as much as I hate to break up this intimate moment between the two of you, we do have a meeting to get going to," Jiraiya said as he appeared behind the two. Naruto just gave him the middle finger and laughed as they went downstairs to exit the Emperor's palace.

As they stepped outside, they were soon joined Shigure Kosaka and Kisame. As they headed to the council chambers, the group passed a few civilians who were also starting their day.

"Ohayo Gozaimasu, Emperor-sama," a villager said as he bowed when the group passed.

"Thank you for all your hard work, Emperor-sama!" said another villager as she bowed when the group passed.

A group of young children were heading off to the school and saw the group passing by.

"Ohayo Gozaimasu, Emperor-sama!" they all yelled in unison. They followed the example of the previous villagers and bowed before the group.

"Don't be late for school now!" Naruto said to the children as they all yelled "Hai!" The group stopped to let the kids run off for school. Naruto could only smile at them as he watched them run off.

"Huh, weren't you always late for class gaki? Look at how ironic that is," Jiraiya joked as Naruto elbowed him in the ribs. The group passed a few more civilians on the way and they all reacted the same way as the previous ones the group had met.

Naruto had started doing this from time to time to show face to the people in the West. He wanted to be able to interact with his people and give them encouragement. It was weird at first for Naruto, getting greeted politely and kindly by others. He wasn't used to it. It kinda freaked him out to see how much people were acting nice to him. Itachi had to remind him that it was because they genuinely loved him. The people were loyal and respectful and were very grateful to Naruto for helping to bring peace to the West.

After some time, Naruto came to appreciate this and began a routine to start appearing more in public as Emperor.

About ten minutes went by and the group finally made it to their destination. The large, council chambers building where most of the meetings were held. This is where most of the council conducted their work and also heard different complaints and disputes. Naruto had a large office in the building as well. He would conduct his business (i.e. paperwork) for part of the day. Other Emperor responsibilities were held at his Palace.

As Naruto and the group made their way to the council room, Shigure broke off from the group, her duties done for now. The rest of them made their way up, where the council had already gathered and were just waiting for Naruto.

**Western Council Room**

They all stood as they saw Naruto enter the room. He took a moment to look around the room. Even after three years of these meetings, he still wasn't used to the attention. As soon as he took a seat, everyone else took theirs as they prepared for the meeting.

"Seems like everyone is here, let us begin," he said as everyone prepared their documents.

_**Flashback- 5 Years Earlier**_

_The Thousand Year War. _

_No one really knew when the fighting started in the West and no one ever thought that it would stop. Battle for territory, resources, and power were all the main focuses of the war. _

_And as luck would have it, Naruto, Jiraiya, Itachi and Kisame just so happened to get thrust right in the thick of it. They were lucky to meet up with powerful allies such as Saitama and Ryozanpaku._

_As promised, Jiraiya, Itachi, Kisame, Saitama, and the rest of Ryozanpaku went to work in helping to train Naruto. After learning of who his parents really were, Jiraiya made sure that Naruto would learn and master the art of fuinjutsu, knowing that being able to seal would come in handy, regardless of the situation. Jiraiya also made sure that Naruto would be able to master his wind nature type. _

_Itachi trained Naruto in being able to break genjutsu. The masters of Ryozanpaku had mentioned that there were those in the West that could get the user under their control just by looking into their eyes. Luckily, this was similar to the Uchiha, who used their Sharingan for that exact reason. _

_Kisame helped train Naruto in kenjutsu. Though he wasn't proficient at using a sword, Naruto was able to hold his own against one of the former Swordsmen of the Mist. Kisame also helped Naruto control the Kyuubi chakra. Since the chakra was very new to Naruto, it would sometimes overtake him, even with the Kyuubi not trying to do it on purpose. Kisame deduced that Naruto would need to be pushed to his limits in order to get his body used to the power of the Kyuubi chakra. _

_Speaking of Kurama, Naruto had many talks with it on a daily basis. Naruto made sure to tell Jiraiya everything that the Kyuubi had told him, even that he had a name. Jiraiya cautioned Naruto to be wary of the beast, knowing all too well that the Fox still had an agenda, and that using Naruto could be a pawn in the beast's plans. Naruto, of course, was a bit curious at befriending Kurama and finding out more about him._

_During one of their talks, Kurama had mentioned about lifting the seal off the cage in order to give Naruto the full use of the Kyuubi chakra. Naruto was hesitant. He knew that the beast being set free could mean bad things for not only him, but the others around him. He also still felt uneasy about Kurama killing his parents and all that. He needed to consult Jiraiya about the conversation._

"_No. As your godfather and as your guardian, you are not allowed to remove that seal," Jiraiya huffed as he smashed a Rasengan into an enemy samurai. _

"_But Ero-Sennin, he's allowing me to use his chakra, the least I could do is set him free. He hasn't taken over my body ever since he told me about my parents," Naruto said as he slammed two Rasengans into a group of enemy combatants. _

"_That's not the point, Naruto," Jiraiya started as he dodged attacks from a staff-wielding enemy. Jiraiya easily deflected the staff and punched the enemy across the field they were fighting on._

"_He can't be trusted. He could be just buying his time. You even said you don't trust him fully, gaki. What if he does take over your body, then what? None of us here would be able to stop the beast from rampaging and also none of us know the Shiki Fuin anyways," he finished as he started to weave signs._

"_**Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" **_

_Gamabunta appeared as he slammed onto a squad of advancing enemy soldiers who were descending on the Ryozanpaku lands. This was the second straight day of fighting. It seemed like these guys kept coming, but with resiliency, the Masters of Ryozanpaku and the Eastern Shinobi allied with them kept fending them off. _

"_You need to trust me Ero-Sennin. I promise he won't take over my body and besides, I need to learn to master his chakra. I can't do that with him sealed. Kisame even said so himself!" Naruto yelled from nearby as he summoned his shadow clones. _

"_I trust you, gaki. It's the fox I don't trust. Look my decision is final, you are not allowed to touch the seal. If I find out you do, I swear I'm going to make Saitama break every bone in your body and then send you to Akisame to put it back together only to let Saitama do it again!" Jiraiya yelled from atop Gamabunta's head._

_Naruto just shivered. Though it sounded like a joke, Jiraiya wasn't kidding and going to Akisame's Orthopedic clinic was not something he wanted to ever do. _

_Naruto huffed as he continued fighting. Eventually, the battle was won. Up to this point, there were no casualties for the side of Ryozanpaku. The training that had taken place over the years was paying dividends. They were able to defend their territory without fail. _

_Naruto on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking about lifting the seal for Kurama. He needed to do it if he wanted to get closer to his ultimate goal, which was to destroy Konoha. Yet, Jiraiya's words to him did make sense. He didn't know the Fox's intentions. He still didn't fully trust Kurama, you know because the Fox killed his parents and all that stuff. _

_However, Naruto also contemplated that the war seemed like it would never end. Sure they had made some allies in the first year, but it didn't feel like they were making any progress. The Ryozanpaku members were more concerned about defending their territory instead of branching out and trying to overtake others. _

_So of course, curiosity would get the best of young Naruto._

_Yet, he wasn't ready for what would happen next._

_After a long day of training, Naruto found himself in his room. It was a quiet evening, with no fighting occurring tonight. It was one of the few peaceful nights that Naruto was lucky enough to get. He was tired, both mentally and physically. It was another day when he could barely control the Kyuubi chakra. The chakra burned through parts of his clothes, leaving large rips and patches in his orange jumpsuit. _

_Naruto was pissed. It was already a year since he started training with Kisame to try and control the large amounts of chakra Kurama was allowing him to use. If only he could just let the fox out. Things would be easier since Kurama could help him control the chakra. He was starting to not care about Jiraiya's threat. _

_He then found himself in his mindscape._

"_**Something troubling you, gaki?" **__Kurama asked as Naruto appeared in front of him. _

"_How did you know?" Naruto asked as Kurama laughed._

"_**I'm connected with you remember? I can hear everything you think. I can feel everything you feel. You're back here thinking about lifting the seal again,"**_ _he said._

"_I was. If you can hear everything I think, why haven't you called me here before?" Naruto asked._

"_**Well, you've thought about it so much and have never come close to actually doing it so why bother. Just know, it'll take you an eternity to control my chakra properly without my help." **__Kurama explained which made Naruto very frustrated. He knew what the Fox was saying was true. _

_Naruto just sat in front of the jail cell in silence. He stared at the seal. Staring at the seal was only making Naruto angrier. After some thinking and going over it in his head, Naruto stood up. Kurama watched him intently, watching the blondes every move. _

_Naruto jumped up, preparing to rip the seal before getting tackled to the ground. Kurama's eyes widened, the feeling he was having felt eerily similar to the past. The Fox then noticed two figures standing over Naruto. They were the source of his lengthy jail sentence in Naruto._

_Naruto was a little dizzy after being tackled to the ground. He didn't know if Kurama did something to him or what, but he didn't even touch the seal. As he got his bearings in order, he looked up to see two figures standing over him. He jumped back a little, startled at their appearance. _

_A man with blonde spiky hair and blue eyes were staring at him. He was wearing a white haori with red flames at the bottom of it. He looked eerily similar to the Yondaime, but Naruto wasn't sure. _

_Next to the man was a woman with noticeably long, red hair. She was wearing a green blouse over a white short sleeve dress shirt. She was smiling at him, something he found a little weird._

_Naruto didn't know who these people were, but were prepared to fight them if needed._

"_Ack, Kurama! If you sent these people, it's not funny! I was going to lift the seal dammit!" Naruto yelled as the two strangers looked at each other then back at him. They looked back to see Kurama up against the bars, with a nasty look on his face._

"_Yondaime! Uzumaki Kushina!" he roared, upset by the appearance of the people who forced him here. _

"_Yondaime? Uzumaki Kushina? My parents? But how am I seeing them? They're dead. This must be some kind of illusion that Kurama is doing," Naruto thought. He was very confused. _

_The two strangers turned back to Naruto with smiles upon their faces. They both offered a hand to Naruto, who was a bit nervous about accepting their help. However, he felt a sort of peace about them. He took their hands as they both helped him up. _

"_He's a bit noisy isn't he?" the blonde man said with a smile. "Why don't we go somewhere quieter," he said as they shifted to another part of the mindscape. They ended up in a bright, yellow area. It seemed like there were no barriers or anything. _

_As they arrived, Naruto jumped back, realizing he was still holding the two stranger's hands. _

"_Okay just what in the hell is going on?!" he yelled as the two strangers could only laugh at his confusion. _

"_Kurama, if this is some type of joke it ain't funny ya damn Fox!" he yelled which got him a hard punch on the head._

"_Itte!" Naruto yelled in pain. He thought only Tsunade-baachan could hit that hard._

"_Don't you dare lump us with that damn fox-ttbane!" the woman yelled as she waved her fist at him. The man could only nervously laugh._

"_Now, now Kushina he doesn't know us remember? We haven't introduced ourselves to him yet," the elder blonde said as he looked at Naruto. "Are you okay, Naruto?" he asked._

_Naruto shook off the pain as he looked to the man in confusion._

"_How do you know my name?" he asked._

"_Well...I'm the one that named you. You are my son, after all," the man said before he too got a punch on the head._

"_Excuse me. WE named him. Don't take credit for all of this Minato. I'm the one that had to push him out!" the woman said as Minato rubbed his head too._

"_You both named me? I'm….your….son?" Naruto choked out. _

"_Let's do this properly Minato. Yes Sochi, you are our son. My name is Uzumaki Kushina. I'm your mother obviously," she said with a smile as Naruto tried to force one out._

"_I'm Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime. I am your father, Naruto," he said as Naruto was in a mix of emotions. This couldn't be right. He knew he was the son of both the Yondaime and Kushina, but they were dead. How was he seeing them, especially now. _

"_I know," Naruto was able to manage to say, much to the disbelief of Minato and Kushina. _

"_I see Jiraiy-," Minato started but was soon cut off after getting a strong punch to the gut from Naruto. Even when he was dead, Naruto was still getting hit by Uzumaki's everywhere. _

"_You sealed that damn Fox inside of me! Do you know what I had to deal with my entire life because of that?! Do you know how I was treated because of that damn thing?! I even got banished because of it!" Naruto yelled at his father, tears falling from his eyes. He then looked to Kushina, who only had a worried look in her eyes. She stepped forward and embraced her son. Tears starting to fall from her eyes as well._

"_I know, Sochi. We've been watching from inside of you. We've seen how you've been treated. We know the pain that you're feeling right now," Kushina said as she cried with her son. _

_Minato, having recovered from two Uzumaki punches finally regained his composure. He put his hand on Naruto's shoulder._

"_We know it wasn't easy for you Naruto. I only did this because you are my son, and I only trust you. I understand if you can't forgive me as a father, but I want you to know that I believed that you would be able to fully harness the power of the Kyuubi. Kushina and I both know that it was a mistake to leave you alone with such a heavy burden to carry. But we believe that if anyone could do it, it would be you, Naruto," Minato said as Naruto turned to look at his father. He then hugged his father, who in turn hugged him back. _

_The family reunited embraced in a family hug. Naruto had so many questions to ask them both. How they met, how life was in the village during their time, how much they knew about the night of his birth, and everything that Naruto could imagine. _

_Minato and Kushina took the time to tell Naruto every detail of everything he wanted to know. They also explained to him that before they died, they had placed some of their chakra into Naruto for the future, in case he ever needed them. They also wanted to know how Jiraiya was doing in training Naruto. Minato also wanted to know how Itachi was doing, knowing that one of the last Uchiha's was with Naruto._

_Naruto then told them both about his intentions to release the seal off of Kurama. Minato and Kushina almost had the same reactions as Jiraiya. They both were hesitant about letting Naruto do that, for fear of the repercussions from the Fox. Naruto convinced both of them that if they trusted him, they would let him do it. _

_Minato and Kushina still loved Konoha. They had made all of their memories there. Yet, after seeing how their son was treated, they both agreed that it was time to move forward and be parents for a change and support their son. They both gave Naruto a loving look before Minato brought them back before Kurama, who was still in a fit of rage seeing his former Jinchuuriki and the man that sealed him into Naruto._

"_**So my former jailer and the man who sealed me into the gaki have come back to see me huh?" Kurama sarcastically said as he was up against the bars of his cell.**_

"_You know why I put you there Kyuubi," Minato stated seriously. _

"_**Oh, I do and look what the results were because of it. You left your child an orphan and also caused him to get banished," Kurama replied.**_

"_Why I oughtta," Kushina was ready to release her chakra chains on the Kyuubi before Naruto stopped them both._

"_Stop it! All of you! Look I understand the hostility here, but I want both of your cooperation at the moment," he said as the two sides stopped for now._

"_Look Tou-chan, Kaa-chan, this is something that I need to do. You put your trust in me and I don't want to let you down. There are things in this life that I must do. I know you both loved Konoha when you were alive, but the Konoha you know is gone. The Will of fire in that village is no more. They spit on both of your legacies by treating me like shit. I'm going to make them pay for what they've done," Naruto said._

_Kushina was made just thinking about how Naruto was treated. Her hair started to glow and rise up as she waved her fist, "You do it, Sochi! You take it to all of them!" she yelled._

"_No matter what path you take in this life Naruto, we will always support you," was Minato's answer. _

_Naruto then looked at Kurama. The Fox looked back at the young blonde and just nodded. He knew supporting Naruto was the right thing to do, even though he felt some type of way about Minato and Kushina. _

"_Come Naruto, let's do this. Our chakra is running out. We don't have much time left." Minato said as the family made their way up to the seal. _

_As a family, they removed the seal together, freeing Kurama from his cell after all these years. The Fox grinned, then announced his freedom as he roared. He was finally free. He could hear Kushina yelling something as he looked down at the former Kunoichi._

"_You better take care of him or else I'll come back from the afterlife myself and sic my chakra chains on you!" Kushina threatened. Kurama just huffed at the threat. _

"_**Naruto, come forward. We need to connect our chakras together,"**_ _Kurama instructed as Naruto stepped forward as Kurama held out a fist to Naruto. Naruto held out a fist in return and bumped it with Kurama's. He could feel the surge of the Kyuubi chakra running through him now. He could feel it, but it wasn't hurting him. He wasn't being consumed by it. It was giving him power, a power that he didn't think was possible. _

_When they were done, he ran to his parents, excited as could be. This elicited a smile out of Kushina and Minato. _

_After a few moments, they noticed that they were starting to fade. Their time as a family was coming to an end. _

"_Will I ever see you guys again?" Naruto asked, tears starting to fall from his eyes again. _

"_Of course you will, Sochi. We will all be a family again one day. Remember, no matter what path in life you take, we will always be supporting you. We will always be with you Sochi. Also, remember to not be picky, eat your vegetables so you can grow strong, make sure you bathe every day, get your sleep, don't listen to Jiraiya's perverted speeches, find a good group of friends, find a girl like your mother, be true to yourself and most importantly, just know that we love with all of our hearts. Sorry, Minato, it seems I've used up all your time again," Kushina said as they were starting to fade away faster._

"_It's okay Kushina. Naruto just remember everything your mother said and you will accomplish all of your goals in life. I love you, son." Minato finished as Naruto could only watch as his parents disappear. _

_They had smiles on their faces as they waved goodbye to Naruto and finally vanished. _

_Naruto awoke. He was still in his room as he got up. It was morning now. The sun was high up in the sky already and shining brightly. It was a beautiful day._

"_Was that all a dream? Or did those things actually happen?" he thought as he lifted his shirt to check the seal._

_The seal was gone._

_At that moment, Jiraiya walked past Naruto's room. He saw that the area where Naruto was looking was missing something. He finally noticed that the seal was missing._

"_Naruto! What did I tell you about removing the damn seal!" he said as he entered Naruto's room, mad as ever._

"_I met them, Ero-Sennin," Naruto said as he looked up at Jiraiya. Jiraiya stopped in his tracks._

"_Met who, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked._

"_My parents," Naruto replied, as he began to tell the story to Jiraiya. _

_High in the sky, Minato and Kushina could be seen smiling as they were looking down at their son. _

_It was his time now. _

_It was his time to end the war._


	6. How we Met

**Emperor's Chambers**

Euphemia was still getting ready in her bedroom as Nunnally waited patiently for her sister to finish. They had some things on their agenda, but overall, it wasn't going to be a very busy day. As she combed her hair, Euphemia looked at the pictures that surrounded the room. Some of them were of her and her family, some of them were of Naruto. There were also large pictures of her and Naruto on their wedding day, looking as happy as could be. She couldn't believe that it was three years ago that they got married. It felt like yesterday to her that they said their "I do's" to each other. There were so many great memories since that day, that Euphemia could hardly remember them all.

"What are you thinking about nee-chan?" Nunnally asked. For someone that was blind, Nunnally was very perceptive to the feelings in the room. Euphemia was always interested in how Nunnally knew exactly what she was thinking or looking at without even seeing her.

"Just some things," Euphemia replied, checking to see if her sister knew what she was thinking about.

"You're thinking about your wedding day aren't you," Nunnally replied back, a large smile coming upon her face.

"You know me so well don't you? Yes, I was thinking about my wedding day," Euphemia said as she went to sit on the bed to be closer to her sister.

"I still can't believe you married Naruto of all people. I still remember when Lelouch hated him. Like, literally couldn't stand him." Nunnally said bluntly as Euphemia let out a laugh as she had to agree with that statement.

"I still can't believe he became Emperor too," Nunnally added.

"Well, you were one of the first people to speak up about nominating him for Emperor," Euphemia slyly said.

"I know. Well he was a big part of why the war ended, and he also saved my life, nee-chan," Nunnally retorted.

Euphemia remembered that all too well. At first, she saw Naruto as nothing more than a friend. If you had asked Naruto that question, he would've said the same thing. They were friends and allies. Nothing more, nothing less. However, during the war, Naruto definitely changed that feeling, for both himself and Euphemia. He also did save both their lives, for which Euphemia was eternally grateful for. She had watched him grow from a boy into a man in such a short span. As they spent time together, the two started to grow on each other. I guess when a couple spends a lot of time with each other, they are bound to fall for each other at some point.

She remembered like it was yesterday.

_**Flashback- 5 Years Ago**_

_It was early in their second year of the Thousand Year War. The faction of Ryozanpaku was making serious progress in the war. Ever since the Kyuubi and he linked up, Naruto became a force to be reckoned with. Battles became overwhelmingly one-sided when Naruto transformed into his Kyuubi Chakra Mode. Entire fields were leveled because of the sheer power that was demonstrated from Naruto. He could turn the tide of any battle he was apart of. No matter if they were outnumbered 5-to-1, the side that had Naruto would win. _

_The side of Ryozanpaku was able to gain quick alliances with other factions that were fighting. Most notably the Straw Hat Pirates, the Hunters, the Soul Reapers, Night Raid, the Alchemists, the Survey Corps, the Hellsing Organization, U.A. High school and the Saiyans. They also made allies with other individuals and smaller groups like Himura Kenshin, Yusuke Urameshi, Inuyasha, and a few others. They quickly started to overtake territories that were held by hostile warlords and other powerful enemies. _

_There was a council put in place to make sure that each ally was doing its part in the effort to end the war. Like Naruto, many of these factions wanted peace. They were tired of having to fight, not even remembering what they were fighting for other than protecting themselves. That is why when hearing of Naruto's preaching of peace, many flocked to Ryozanpaku to join their efforts._

_The council that led the Ryozanpaku alliance as it was called were, Hayato Furinji, All Might, Roy Mustang, Integra Hellsing, Son Goku, and Monkey D. Luffy. They made sure that all the work they were doing was only getting them closer to peace. Battle after battle, the Ryozanpaku alliance came out victorious. They were on a roll, gaining territory and destroying those who threatened them._

_Of course, there were always those that remained neutral in the war. _

_One of those factions that decided to remain neutral was the Britannia faction. Led by Lelouch vi Britannia, Euphemia, Nunnally, and Cornelia li Britannia, the Britannia faction was one of the strongest factions that didn't have many allies during the war. They were self-sufficient, having much more advanced technology than the other factions, that they didn't need to rely on gaining allies. They were, however, very protective over their lands. With their large army and air force, it was easy for the Britannia's to repel invaders. They made quick work of anyone that tried to trespass in their territory. _

_However, neutrality cannot last forever, especially during war. The Britannia faction was drawn into things when a battle between the Ryozanpaku-led forces faced off against a large force of Titans and Millenniums. The battle was bloody. Fighting spilled over into the lands of the Britannia's. The border defenses for the were on high alert and the air force was sent in, to kill anybody, regardless if they were hostile or not. Though they were successful in getting out most of the intruders, there were some that were missed by defense forces. _

_It was at this time that the alliance council had gone to the Britannia's in hopes to form an alliance even though the council knew of Britannia's neutrality. However, the Britannia's were impressed by the common goal they shared with the Ryozanpaku alliance. It intrigued the Britannia's, yet they did not come to an agreement with the alliance, citing that they wanted to keep their neutrality, though Lelouch was very tempted. They did, however, keep their communications open with the alliance should anything change. _

_Luckily, the open communications came in handy._

_A few days later, a group of rogue Abnormal Titans and Millenniums kidnapped Nunnally in the dead of night. A rescue team was dispatched, led by Cornelia and her Knightmare squadron. Unfortunately, they had no luck in retrieving the Nunnally. Lelouch immediately sent a line of communication to the Ryozanpaku alliance for assistance. Without hesitation, a squad consisting of Naruto, Itachi, Yusuke Urameshi, Gon Freecss, Deku, and a squad of survey corps members led by Levi Ackerman were sent to retrieve the kidnapped princess._

_The survey corps were sent first, trying to track where the Titans and Millenniums had gone. They had found them near the edge of the Britannia territory in a large forest. They sent a message to the rest of the group that they had located the Britannia princess. _

_Itachi, who was the squad leader for this mission, sent Gon Freecss in first to lead the squad. His heightened sense of smell, vision, and hearing would allow the group to go in undetected. Once the coast was clear and the camp was detected, the group closed in. The plan was simple, get the princess out alive and in one piece. Kill anyone who resists. _

_The group moved quietly in the trees. Everybody was in position. On Itachi's signal, they attacked. Yusuke fired the first shot._

"_**Spirit Gun!"**_

_Yusuke fired his signature weapon from his hand as his shot immediately dropped five Millenium members. Mass hysteria overtook the camp. The Abnormal Titans, who were in human form, started to turn into their larger titan form. Luckily, the Survey Corps swooped in to eliminate the few that were there. The rest of the Millenium were wiped out with ease. Itachi put the Millenium members into his Tsukuyomi while Deku and Gon provided the necessary firepower with their Delaware Smash and Jajanken respectively. Naruto was tasked with getting the princess out safely. When he got there, Nunnally was being moved by a Millenium officer in his jeep. _

_Naruto raced after them. __He was finally able to catch up, but the Millenium officer stopped and dragged the princess out of the jeep. He held a gun to her head as Naruto stopped in his tracks._

"_Ah, ah, ah. One step closer and she goes BOOM," the Millenium officer said as he raised the gun to Nunnally's head as he smirked at Naruto._

_Naruto, on the other hand, looked very unconcerned about the predicament. He had a plan for this. He knew the princess was scared. She was cut up and bruised, with tears falling from her eyes. _

"_Hey now, let's just calm down and think about this for a second," he said as he put his hands in full view for the officer to see. He used this as a distraction as a clone sneaked up behind the officer. _

"_No one has to get hurt here," Naruto said as the officer turned the gun towards Naruto._

"_You're right. Only you," the officer said before he found himself staring at a large ball of energy coming out of his chest. Naruto's clone had powered up a Rasengan. The officer dropped right there, releasing Nunnally. Naruto caught her, as she was too weak to move. He carried her away to the rendezvous point, where he waited for the rest of the squad to arrive. They arrived with no casualties and returned to the alliance headquarters. _

_As Naruto carried Nunnally into the medical facility, Lelouch, Euphemia, Cornelia, and the alliance council were waiting for them. Nunnally's siblings rushed to her side as Naruto put her onto a gurney. They thanked him for rescuing her and followed Tony Tony Chopper into the Emergency room. She was going to make a full recovery._

_Naruto shared his report to the council, who shared it with the Britannia's. It was safe to say that an alliance was formed immediately after that. The two sides also came up with the idea of having a liaison in order to improve their communications. One person from each group would live with the other for a period of time until the two sides felt that their communications had improved. Both Naruto and Nunnally were chosen. _

_Naruto was chosen because the Britannia family wanted to know the person that was responsible for saving one of their own. For Naruto, he was a bit uneasy of going. He always thought of royalty as rich, snobby people who only care about themselves. Naruto didn't want to associate with people like that because they acted like some other people he knew from Konoha. _

_However, when Naruto got to Britannia palace, he was definitely shocked by what he saw. He was greeted by Lelouch, Cornelia, Euphemia, and Suzaku Kururugi. For the most part, they welcomed Naruto with open arms. Naruto was a bit surprised by their actions. _

_After a few months of living with them, he noticed that they lived a relatively modest lifestyle with little to no snobbiness, none of that stuff. In fact, they were the total opposite. They were great people. He loved interacting with the royal family. _

_The only thing that he didn't get was their rules. He wasn't royalty, so Naruto didn't have the necessary manners or etiquette that they had. He was especially uneasy around Lelouch, who seemed to scold him at every opportunity. During meetings that Naruto attended, he would often fall asleep, bored with the procedures and topics the Britannia family discussed. It was amusing to Euphemia and Nunnally, both giggling as they watched Naruto face down on the table, drooling. Lelouch would immediately yell at him, causing Naruto to wake up in a panic. Even at the dinner table, Naruto would get chastised by Lelouch for not knowing the proper procedure for eating. It was as though no matter what Naruto did, it wasn't good enough for him. Luckily, he had Euphemia and Suzaku there to help him out. _

_It was a bit weird at first, but Naruto and Euphemia became fast friends. Both of them found out that they shared the same dream of peace in the West. Because of this they started to talk every day and were nearly inseparable. They saw each other as just friends but loved each other's company. Naruto also found a friend in Euphemia's knight, Suzaku. The two of them formed a strong bond that definitely couldn't be broken. The three became a tight-knit group, going everywhere and doing everything with each other._

_Naruto also found out that Euphemia and Suzaku had some feelings for each other. Though they rarely displayed it and were not "official", Naruto understood the emotions they may have felt and wished he could feel that one day. He was thankful to them that they never made him feel like the third wheel in their friendship. _

_However, them hanging out did get them into a bit of trouble because Lelouch did not approve of Naruto. Though he was grateful that the Jinchuuriki had saved Nunnally, the boy was not one of them. He was here as a liaison and that was it. He didn't want Naruto fraternizing with Euphemia or any others members of the family. The boy was here to improve relations. Lelouch couldn't wait for Naruto to be out of their hair._

_That all changed, however, when Naruto saved Euphemia._

_**A Few Weeks Later**_

_Though she was a princess, Euphemia was still one of the best pilots in the Britannia faction and during a time of war, it was all hands on deck. The Britannia's were locked in a battle over territory with an enemy faction that was nearby. During the heat of battle, Euphemia's Knightmare Frame, Gloucester, had been shot down. She was injured and captured by the warlord Char Aznable. _

_The Britannia's tried to negotiate a deal for the safe return of Euphemia, however, all deals were rejected. After a few days of failed negotiations, a rescue party was sent. Lelouch personally led the mission. Unfortunately, their Knightmare Frames were no match for the large force of Gundam Suits that Char Aznable sent. The rescue party was routed. Lelouch returned home empty-handed. _

_Their actions forced Char Aznable's hands. He made it public that he would execute Euphemia the next day because of the Britannia's actions. There was no time to gather another rescue team with the sheer size to try and combat the Gundam Suits. _

_With no other options, Naruto came up with a more subtle approach. They organized a different rescue party, this time trying to avoid dealing with the mobile Gundam Suits that were more powerful than the Britannia's Knightmare Frames. A group of Naruto, Suzaku, Night Raid, Yusuke, and Franky would go in quietly, to retrieve Euphemia without the Char Aznable group being none the wiser. All out of options, Lelouch reluctantly gave the go ahead. _

_The group set out in the dead of night. They knew that Euphemia was being held somewhere in the warlord's mansion. She would be under heavy guard and they may have to fight their way through. However, Naruto figured they would have the upper hand since it would be hard for their enemy to use their Gundam Suits indoors. _

_They managed to knock out the border guards and enter the mansion relatively undetected. The mansion was large and greatly lavished. There were so many portraits of the warlord that the group wondered if it would be funny to steal all of them and replace them with erotic pictures. Maybe on their way out. _

_The group searched the mansion without being detected. They managed to find Euphemia, but she was heavily guarded. Naruto's plan came into full effect. _

_Night Raid easily dispatched of the armed guards. They did so quietly and effectively. They are trained assassins after all. _

_Euphemia was chained to the wall and looked like a caged animal. Naruto was pissed at the thought of his friend being treated this way. She awoke to them breaking the chains. She had an impulse to scream, but Naruto made sure to keep her quiet and let her know that they were getting her out of there. _

_Their mission a success, the group then made their way out of the mansion with the princess in tow. Unfortunately, a few guards making their rounds found the mess and instantly sounded the alarms. Now their mission was more complicated. They hadn't brought any backup and the weapons of Yusuke and Franky were only going to help so much. Gundam squads were mobilized and were searching the area. _

_As the group moved, they were spotted by a squad of Mobile Suits. The rescue team needed to get out quickly. They did the best they could to get out of the line of fire, but Suzaku was hit. It was a fatal shot. Suzaku knew that even if he was to escape, he wouldn't see tomorrow. Naruto went back to retrieve his friend, but Suzaku refused. If they stayed their any longer, they wouldn't make it out. _

"_Go Naruto. Lea..leave me," he told the blonde Jinchuuriki._

"_I can't just leave you here Suzaku," Naruto pleaded, trying to pick his friend up. _

"_I'll never make it Naruto, M-my time has come. You must promise me something. Protect her. Protect her dream. Protect her dream of peace. It is up to you now," Suzaku managed as he coughed up blood. His time was coming soon. Naruto could only look at his friend as he was dying in his arms._

_Suzaku gave Naruto one last look. A look of hope. He passed away, peacefully, knowing that he could entrust Naruto with protecting Euphemia. _

_For the first time, in a long time, Naruto lost control. _

"_You can take over, Kurama," he said as the Fox smirked from within him. _

_You can imagine what happened next. All I will say is that Char Aznable would never bother the Britannia's or the Ryozanpaku Alliance ever again. _

_The rescue team returned back home, with Euphemia but missing Naruto. She was given immediate medical attention and wouldn't find out about Suzaku's death until she woke up a few days later._

_Naruto returned the next day, carrying the body of Suzaku. Someone he considered one of his best friends, who accepted him for who he was. He didn't know how to react to losing one of his closest friends from the West. He also didn't know how he would explain this to Euphemia and how the loss of Suzaku would affect her._

_He shut himself in his room for a few days. He didn't eat, he didn't drink, he couldn't sleep. Luckily, he had his saving grace. Euphemia came to visit him after she finally recovered from her injuries. _

_She sat with Naruto on the opposite side from him on his bed. The two didn't speak a word to each other. They both just stared off into space, just basking in the presence of each other. They both were missing something or someone. It was always the three of them, hanging out or getting on Lelouch's nerves. For Naruto, he loved having people he could be around who liked him for who he was and not people who hated him for something he couldn't control. _

_For Euphemia, Suzaku was the first person she ever had feelings for. He was her knight and her closest confidant. She would never go anywhere without him and because of that, the two had developed a sort of romantic relationship. Though they couldn't act on it because of Lelouch, the two enjoyed the times they spent together. With Suzaku now gone, Euphemia felt a part of her heart was ripped away but she could also tell that Suzaku's death also heavily affected Naruto. Knowing his story, he never really had other people besides Jiraiya who he was close with. They were his first real friends and he didn't know how to really react. She needed to be by his side so that they could both grieve together._

_The two of them sat in Naruto's room for a few hours. With some inner strength and courage, Naruto moved first. He moved to Euphemia's side. He gave her a strong hug. She in turn, immediately started to cry in his chest. She had lost a great friend, a person who sacrificed so much just for her. _

_She cried and she cried. Naruto also teared up as he felt her tears soak up into his clothes. Euphemia cried until her tears ran out. Naruto was about to let her go, but she pulled herself back into him. She didn't want him to let go. She didn't want him to leave her, too._

"_P-p-please, N-n-naruto. Don't let me go," she whispered. Naruto just held her tighter._

"_I will never ever let you go Euphie. I'm never going to let you go until the day I die. I will go to the ends of the earth to protect you and your dream," Naruto told her. _

_A funeral was held for Suzaku a week later when there was a break in the fighting. Many came to attend his funeral, especially from the Ryozanpaku Alliance. They felt like they lost one of their own and took steps to ensure that they wouldn't lose another one again. Naruto watched the funeral proceedings from afar. He partly blamed himself for Suzaku's death as he was the one who came up with the plan in rescuing Euphemia. He couldn't help but feel responsible for hurting her too by failing to protect someone she had feelings for. Even after the moment he and Euphemia shared, he couldn't stand to look her in the eye. He needed his time alone and think things through before he could move on._

_After Suzaku's funeral, Euphemia visited Naruto again. She hadn't seen him since the embrace they shared together. He was staring out of the window when she entered his room. Though she couldn't see his face, she knew that he had not gotten any sleep for some time. She knew that he was taking this very hard, especially since she didn't see him at the funeral. She moved slowly towards him, but Naruto didn't move from where he stood. _

_She wrapped her arms around him and felt his hands on hers. He was taller than her, so her head was leaning into his back. Naruto turned around slowly and returned the embrace. They stayed like this for a few minutes before either spoke. _

_"I do not and will not ever blame you for Suzaku's death, Naruto," Euphemia started as she looked up to see him staring off into the distance. She placed her palm on his cheek and forced him to look at her. _

_"Those words you told me a week ago, that you would protect me and my dream. I believe every word of it. Suzaku told me that if there was anyone who could help make my dream become a reality, it would be you Naruto. You have grown so much in the short span that I have known you, you have surprised even Lelouch with your actions. I know you will miss Suzaku a lot as will I, but he would want us to keep going until our dreams are achieved. Let's keep going together," Euphemia said as Naruto nodded in response. The two held each other for a bit longer before Euphemia finally departed for the evening. It was this speech that would start to snap Naruto out of his depression._

_This was also the day, that their relationship changed, to something more than just friends._

_Naruto and Euphemia had met up in his room every night since then. No matter if Naruto was on the front lines or he was training, Euphemia made it an effort to see him. Some nights they would talk and catch up. Naruto would tell her about the battles they had fought and so on and so on. Other nights they wouldn't say a single word to each other. They would just enjoy the company of the other. Over a few months, the two started to develop feelings for the other and it started to become evident to the two that these feelings were only going to get stronger._

_Naruto didn't know how to feel about this, especially knowing that Euphemia and Suzaku had once had feelings for each other. He felt like he was betraying his brother, even though Suzaku was no longer alive. He didn't know how to go about this until one night, he had a very vivid dream. He was in a large garden flowing with life. On one of the benches in the garden, Suzaku sat, relaxing and taking in the amazing scenery. He noticed Naruto and called for him to sit next to him. Naruto cautiously approached Suzaku, who chuckled at the Blondes hesitance. _

_"I'm not going yell at you like Lelouch Naruto," Suzaku laughed as Naruto chuckled a little and took a seat to his best friend. After a few minutes of silence and looking around, Naruto broke._

_"I'm sorry Suzaku. I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'm sorry I've been seeing Euphemia. Arg, it feels like I'm betraying you by having these feelings for her!" Naruto said as Suzaku started to laugh really hard. Naruto was on edge because he didn't know what was going to happen. _

_"Why are you apologizing Naruto. You do realize that I am no longer alive right? Euphemia can have feelings for whoever she wants and so can you. Besides, I think it's time for both of you to move on," Suzaku said._

_"But you're someone who I consider like a brother! I shouldn't be having these feelings for someone you also had feelings for!" Naruto responded. _

_"Do not worry Naruto. I have been watching you two. Watching the way you two interact with each other. I see the look in Euphemia's eyes when she looks at you. I can see her whole demeanor change when she is with you. She feels safe and secure. You two were meant for each other. Do not let me get in the way of both of your happiness," Suzaku said with a smile on his face. Naruto was still wary and Suzaku could tell. _

_"Though we only knew each other for a short time in this life, we will be brothers for eternity in the afterlife. My last words to you were to protect Euphemia and make sure her dreams come true. You just started to do that and are already 10x better than me! I think now, you should make her dreams come true with you standing by her side till death do you two apart. You are her everything Naruto, and I can see that she is starting to become your everything as well. Whatever decisions you two make, I will still love you both from the afterlife. I will be watching you both and can't wait to see what the future holds you two," Suzaku said as he shook Naruto's hand. "Remember, protect her with everything you have and that will be enough for me," Suzaku said as he started to fade away. _

_Naruto woke up immediately after and saw that the sun was peaking over the horizon. "That dream, it felt so real," he thought. He took it as a sign that maybe these feelings for Euphemia were meant to be. He just hoped he wouldn't screw it up when the time came. _

_In her room, Euphemia also awoke from nearly the same dream as Naruto. Was this Suzaku's way of telling her that she needed to move on? She started to feel that her and Naruto were meant to be and hoped she wouldn't screw things up either. _

_With all of that said, Naruto still didn't know how to express his feelings yet, so Euphemia took the initiative and told him first. They were gazing at the stars on top of the roof of the Britannia palace after dinner. The two sat close to each other, enjoying each other's warmth. It was then, that Euphemia confessed to Naruto her feelings. Naruto reciprocated, albeit a bit nervously, as he fumbled with his words a bit. Euphemia got the message and they celebrated their first kiss that night. _

_A little while after they became official, their relationship was known to only a few people. Lelouch was surprised by this but allowed it to happen. He had finally accepted Naruto, not only as a member of the family but also as a person. He saw the determination, loyalty, and leadership that Naruto displayed. Though he was young, Lelouch saw that Naruto would be a great leader in the future. _

_**Over a Year Later**_

_Even after finding love, Naruto still understood that there was a war to be won. The Ryozanpaku Alliance was officially joined by the Britannia Alliance and its allies. With their combined strengths, it was only a matter of time before they could finally end the war. The final battle came known as, "The Battle for the West". It was held in what is now known as the Capital, the central city in the West. _

_Naruto led the charge against the three remaining warlords that opposed the Ryozanpaku Alliance. Naruto and his allies routed the remaining warlords and chased them from their stronghold. The warlords surrendered and scattered their forces to spare their lives._

_The war was over. Now there could be peace._

_The day after they won, Naruto proposed to Euphemia in front of all of their friends and family. It was the happiest moment of both of their lives at that point. They married that week in a private ceremony, with their closest friends and family there, then celebrated with the civilians of the West, who cheered on their hero and showered him and his new bride with congratulations. _

_Jiraiya, Hayato Furinji, and All Might were all those who were nominated to become Emperor, but all declined. Naruto's new brother-in-law Lelouch was the final nominee to be chosen, but he also declined. He, along with the others who were nominated, supported the movement to allow Naruto to become Emperor. He believed that the new era of peace should be guided by the person who spearheaded the idea. _

_Naruto was eventually chosen as Emperor of the United Western Empire. _

_That, of course, made Euphemia the Empress. She hated the title, but she knew that she could deal with it since now peace was achieved. She was just happy, that the man she loved had finally achieved his dream, and would make sure that nothing would crush it. _

_She watched Naruto become the one who made all of her dreams come true. Everyone always doubted him, yet he proved them all wrong. He was a hero to everyone, including herself. _

**Present Time**

Euphemia couldn't believe how lucky she was when thinking back about her early memories of Naruto. Despite his youthfulness, Naruto had turned out to be a great leader. Even though he didn't always show it, Naruto was wise beyond his age. He was given much power but acted fairly. He surrounded himself with people he knew he could trust and were not corrupt. She supported him in everything he did. She couldn't wait for the day that the cause for her husband's sufferings would be eliminated.

"Nee-chan, you can't reminisce all day. We have work to do," Nunnally said, snapping Euphemia out of her thoughts.

"You are right Nunnally. Let's get going," Euphemia responded as she put on her outfit for today and headed out to start her day.

"He must be discussing it now," she thought.

The Konoha shinobi had not progressed very far. They were a large group, so sticking out was going to be a problem. They had to go undercover since they couldn't risk getting captured by enemy shinobi. It was going to take them at least a week to get to the West, as long as they didn't get caught along the way. Luckily, the West had granted them access to the merchant shops that were along the route the Konoha shinobi were going.

Stopping so that they could eat and rest for a while was a godsend for them. They stopped at one of the larger merchant shops along their route. They had shown their official documents and also the letter from the Emperor and were given rooms to stay in for a few hours.

The group was very wary of Danzo, Sasuke, and Sai. They didn't like the fact that the old War Hawk, his goon, and a traitor were among their group. They couldn't fuck this up or else they would most certainly lose the war. While the group was sitting down for lunch, they heard about the Unification Festival that was to happen as they got there.

The group listened as a few messengers talked about being able to take a break from their work and enjoy some time with their families at the Festival. They heard one of the messengers ask about the appearance of the Emperor during the festivities to which the other two answered in the affirmative.

They mentioned that the Emperor always made an appearance. This piqued the interest of Danzo and Sasuke. Both had fought the Emperor previously and lost. Danzo not being able to use his Sharingan to influence the Emperor previously, wanted another shot. Not to mention that Danzo and Sasuke's pride was a bit hurt after getting their asses kicked by the Emperor. They wanted revenge.

Something that they would probably never get.

After a few hours, the entire Konoha group got moving again. They needed to gain an ally as soon as possible.

However, they all had a feeling that something was going to go very wrong.


	7. Running Into Old Friends

**Council Room**

"Seems like everyone is here, so let us begin," Naruto said, kicking off today's meeting.

As he scanned the room, most of the council was present. There were a few scheduled absences today, All Might was proctoring an exam at U.A. High school, Tony Tony Chopper was away at the medical center and Son Goku was on leave for an indefinite period of time in what was referred to as "Saiyan Business".

"Who's going to go first?" Naruto asked.

A young woman with orange hair, who sat closest to Naruto, stood up first. Her hair was relatively long, hanging down almost the entire length of her back. She had a slim, hourglass figure. Her large, round, brown eyes gazed at Naruto first, before she looked down at her documents to give her report.

"All equipment items have been purchased for the Unification Festival. I took your advice Naruto and didn't hold back on the spending this year. We were in the black last quarter so there was money left over to spend on the necessities. I managed to get some pretty good deals for the decorations this year, so there are a lot more of those going up on the buildings. Also, a few more food vendors were added. The merchants also did very well this past quarter. We will likely see a profit of 100,000,000 ryo just from the merchants alone, which puts us ahead of schedule in terms of the future plans. We are also expecting record attendance this year for the Festival, so profits should be up from the billion ryo we made last year. I'm estimating around 2-3 billion ryo. Those are the more pressing issues that we discussed last time. I know you hate reading reports, but I have the rest of them on your desk for Lelouch to read," the woman finished as she smirked at the last part of her report. She put her documents back into her binder and sat back down.

"Tch, smart ass. Well, I'm glad there will be more vendors this year. We don't want a repeat of last year when your husband and Goku nearly cleaned us out before the week was over, Nami," Naruto retorted.

Nami's official title was Director of Finance. She was selected because of her expertise with money. Miu Furinji was chosen by her to be her assistant. Though she enjoyed being in control of the money, Nami hated the official title. She told Naruto, that she would only accept the position if she could be called the Finance Mistress. Naruto obliged, and Nami took the job soon thereafter. Naruto couldn't believe that she took the job just because of a name change.

Next to Nami sat her bubbly husband, Naruto's good friend and General of the Seas, Monkey D. Luffy. Like his wife, Luffy didn't want his title to be Directory of the Navy or General of the Navy. He wanted something a bit cooler. He didn't want to sound like he was leading marines. He came up with General of the Seas, to which Naruto accepted. What was wrong with these Strawhats and names? Luffy's position made him the General of the entire Navy of the Western Empire. It took some getting used to for Luffy at first since he was used to managing a smaller crew of pirates. However, he quickly found that he liked being in command of everything, even though he would usually pass those decisions off to Dutch or Rock, his second in commands.

Next to them usually sits Tony Tony Chopper, but he rarely attends the council meetings due to his obligations at the medical center. Chopper is the Medical Director of the Western Empire. Chopper's second-in-commands are Ma Kensei and Akisame Koetsuji.

Next to Chopper sits Naruto's five generals. Zaraki Kenpachi, Kisame, Roy Mustang, Integra Hellsing, and Naruto's brother-in-law Lelouch. They are responsible for the West's large army that they have built up over the past few years and also the border patrol. They are all battle-tested and know what it takes to win a war. However, before they can take any action, they must go through Naruto or Euphemia first. In addition to the generals, each of them has their own second-in-command in case they are absent for whatever reason. Kenpachi has Yachiru Kusajishi, Kisame has Himura Kenshin, Roy Mustang has his wife, Riza Hawkeye, Integra Hellsing alternates between Alucard or Seras Victoria, and Lelouch has his sister Cornelia.

Rounding out the table are Naruto's advisors, Hayato Furinji, Jiraiya, and the absent All Might. Other important members of the Empire that don't hold council seats are Sanji, who is the Culinary Director. His second-in-commands are Yukihira Soma and Nakiri Erina. Nina Einstein is the Director of Science. She was specifically chosen by Euphemia to lead the science department and her assistant is Rintaro Okabe. Both Euphemia and Nunnally helped run the civilian side of things and have their own council.

At first, Naruto hated the idea of having any type of council. He knew all too well that the councils in the East had more power than the Kages, themselves. However, he understood that he couldn't run the large country by himself, so he needed people he trusted. He chose people that he had fought with during the war and had come to respect. These people were extremely loyal to not only Naruto but also to the people of the West. They were considered heroes during the war and were trusted to keep the peace that they had all helped bring to the West.

"Who's next."

Roy Mustang was next to stand up. He looked extremely tired instead of his usual stoic self this morning. His bloodshot eyes and large bags under them was a dead give away that the man had not slept in some time.

"The southern border rebels led by Father have been put down, rather quietly I might add, by the squad, we sent in. There were no casualties on our side and the Elric brothers and Kallen are due to make their return by sunset. That is all I have to report, the full report will be on your desk, hopefully by the end of the day," he explained as he sat back down with a loud huff. Naruto nodded at his report.

"Someone must be tired from all the crying last night, huh?" Jiraiya joked, the Toad Sannin noticing the unusually short report coming from the Flame Alchemist.

"You can't even imagine all of the crying I had to put up with last night. It's only been a week, and the kid is already driving me nuts!" Mustang said in defeat, which raised laughter from the rest of the council, including Naruto.

The next few reports were the same old, same old. Kisame talked about the incidents that occurred at the border and that it was dealt with almost immediately. Kenpachi mentioned the expected arrivals of their out of town guests that were expected to arrive within the next few days. He mentioned that the accommodations were already set and that security around those areas was airtight.

As Kenpachi finished, Naruto arose from his seat. It was time to make an announcement that was years in the making.

"We will need to add a new group to the list of expected visitors," Naruto said, throwing Kenpachi and the rest of the council off.

"As you know, we have been in contact with a few of the Eastern countries over these past couple years. Well, it was only a matter of time before some requested an alliance with us. Just like we predicted, my former home has requested an alliance," Naruto said as an eerie silence fell over the room.

Everyone on the council knew the circumstances of Naruto's arrival in the West. The jinchuuriki was very honest about his past. All of the council knew of Naruto's recurring nightmares that he suffered from. There were times when he would not show up to council meetings because of them and Euphemia would take over for the day. They all knew the pain and hatred he felt towards his old home. Since year one of his reign, Naruto implemented a working plan to complete his mission, which was to destroy Konoha and all of the corruption in it. The planning for that mission was accelerated when Naruto had met some of his former friends in the East as he made some diplomatic trips.

_**Flashback**_

_About a year into his reign, Naruto came to understand that there would be people who would come looking for him from the East. He knew that he was still in the Bingo Book and was a very profitable target. There were rumors of him and his appearances in the West. He knew Eastern countries and shinobi would try and come to the West, looking to get rich quick. He also knew that word would get out to the East of the West's stability and that Eastern countries would try to scout out this new power. So instead of letting the East come to them, Naruto made the West's presence known in the East first._

_He set up merchant shops and trading outposts in the East. Valuable goods that weren't found anywhere in the East were available for purchase in these shops. In addition, different food products and restaurants came from the West and set up different locations in the East. Word started getting out about the valuable goods that came from the West and many different Eastern countries were interested in its materials. _

_After they were established, Naruto made an effort to visit these merchant shops to see how they were doing and the progress that they were making in the East. Of course, as he was still a wanted man, Naruto wore a Tengu mask to conceal his identity. In addition to his disguise, the council made sure Naruto was well protected. Mainly due to Euphemia's insistence, they created a special guard that would protect Naruto at all times. It was mandatory that anywhere Naruto went, there would be two of his special guard with him. _

_The first two that were chosen to be apart of the special guard were two ronin samurai that Naruto had met during the war named Jin and Mugen. The two samurai were originally paid to kill Naruto by one of the warring warlords. They clashed with Naruto, who was able to hold his own against the two in kenjutsu. Eventually, Naruto persuaded the two samurai to join him in his quest for peace, also promising to give them as much sake and booze they desired. Naruto also allowed Fuu to accompany them, much to the chagrin of Jin and Mugen._

_The next person that was chosen was Yusuke Urameshi. Naruto and Yusuke became good friends over the course of the war. Yusuke admired Naruto's goal of peace and was actually the first one to nominate Naruto for Emperor. He was chosen because of his long-range Spirit Gun._

_Roronoa Zoro was chosen due to his skills with a sword and also because of his high tolerance for pain. He was Naruto's first choice as one of the special guard squad, but Zoro declined at first, citing his need to be with the Strawhats. However, with Luffy's blessing and at the insistence of his wife, Nico Robin, Zoro accepted Naruto's proposal. The only thing that he wasn't allowed to do while guarding Naruto was give directions. _

_Shigure Kosaka was chosen due to her strengths as a weapons master. Being able to turn anything into a weapon gave her the versatility that Naruto needed. She was also allowed to bring her pet mouse Tochumaru, who was regarded as a special member of the guard._

_The final member of the guard chosen was Deku. At the request of All Might, Deku was chosen because of his hand-to-hand combat ability, will and determination that he exhibited. This also allowed the young hero to gain more field experience. If he was unavailable due to his class schedule, Gon Freecss would fill in for the necessary mission, considering he was free from his Hunter duties. _

_Once his special guard was set, Naruto started the inspection tours of his merchant houses and trading outposts. It was here, that he would finally see some old friends from the past. _

_The first of his former friends that he saw was the new Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Naruto was taking a tour of a merchant facility near the Land of Fire with Jin and Mugen when he came upon the battle between Asuma and his squad against the infamous Zombie Combo. Things looked bleak for the Konoha shinobi as Hidan was about to start his Jashin Curse Ritual on Asuma. However, Naruto stepped in and immediately killed the Zombie Combo. His use of fuinjutsu allowed Naruto to make the two Akatsuki members mortals, and easily killed both with a Rasenshuriken. _

_The Akatsuki was also a major threat to the West that needed to be eliminated, and Naruto saw his opportunity to kill two of the most powerful Akatsuki members. He had been making sure to keep tabs on them, tracking their every movement through Jiraiya's spy network. They would also be dealt with soon enough._

_Both Ino and Choji arrived just as Naruto was disposing of Hidan. An unconscious Asuma laid on the ground with a very weak, but still standing Shikamaru covering for him. He saw how easily this masked stranger dispatched two of the strongest Akatsuki members. Shikamaru was unsure of the stranger's intentions and was on alert. _

_When Naruto was finished, he turned to the Konoha shinobi. He remembered both Shikamaru and Choji defending him all those years ago from the others. They both still considered Naruto as their friend and fought to protect him as much as they could. However, Naruto remembered the hateful and spiteful words from Ino. His anger boiled up inside of him, seeing the blonde arrive on the battlefield. _

_Shikamaru, even his weakened state, tried to make small talk with this strange group that appeared out of nowhere. He was trying to determine whether the group was friend or foe, while also trying to think of an escape plan should they need one._

"_Thanks for your help," Shikamaru said, as Naruto and his two guards never took their eyes off the Konoha shinobi. _

"_Never seen you around before. Which village do you come from?" the Nara asked, as Choji and Ino remained on guard._

"_None," was Naruto's response. Shikamaru felt a strange presence coming from the masked stranger. The voice also sounded familiar, but the Nara couldn't put his finger on it. _

"_Well can you at least tell us whether you're friend or foe? I mean, we would like to assume you are friendly since you helped our sensei," Ino interjected, as Naruto twitched a bit in anger._

"_Assuming things are we? I can tell you for a fact that we are neither friend or foe," Naruto replied, the anger evident in his voice. The Ino-Shika-Cho picked up on his change of tone and were ready for anything at this point._

"_Well if you're not our friend, then we will see you as a foe," the Yamanaka responded._

"_You should've let the Nara do the talking. Your voice annoys me, fangirl," Naruto said as that drew the ire of Ino. She readied herself for battle and was prepared to use her clan jutsu on the masked stranger. _

"_No wait, Ino!" Shikamaru managed to yell out, but it was too late. The masked man threw a special kunai on the ground near the group. He teleported to the kunai in a flash and slammed a kick into her face before she could react. Shikamaru and Choji were forced to help their teammate and got into formation. They would try to use their teamwork to defeat the masked man._

_However on the inside, Shikamaru had an uneasy feeling about this, "He teleported to the kunai almost immediately. That wasn't what I think it was, was it?" he thought to himself. _

_Before the Ino-Shika-Cho knew it, the entire ground around them was filled with kunai. The Nara didn't know it at the time, but what he was thinking was spot on. Naruto had learned the Hiraishin, the jutsu created by the Nidaime, but made popular by Naruto's father before him._

_Naruto had learned the jutsu by accident. As he was undergoing fuinjutsu training with Jiraiya, Naruto made a mistake with his Kanji character writing. He wrote it on a kunai and threw it at a dummy target, wanting the kunai to explode. Instead, Naruto teleported to the kunai and landed face-first into the target. Jiraiya couldn't believe what he had seen. Naruto had just used his father's technique, by mistake. Jiraiya and Naruto trained to see how far he could go using the jutsu. After a while, Naruto improved his Hiraishin distance. He was able to travel about a few countries distance away, and also was able to take about twenty people with him, though he would wear out extremely quickly. _

_Back to their fight, the new Ino-Shika-Cho never stood a chance. Naruto jumped around and teleported to each kunai with ease. He knocked out Ino and slammed a little Rasengan into her body. She was bleeding profusely on the ground while Shikamaru and Choji tried to deal with Naruto. Naruto appeared behind Choji and knocked him out with a chop to the neck which left Shikamaru by himself again. Unfortunately for him, his opponent was nowhere to be found. Shikamaru took out a kunai, readying himself and searching frantically around the area to find Naruto. Jin and Mugen could only laugh, knowing exactly where their boss had gone. _

_In an instant, Shikamaru felt a kunai at his neck. He looked down at it, while his opponent appeared behind him out of nowhere. _

"_It seems Kami is on your side today Nara Shikamaru, for I am in a good mood. However, I do not think next time, you and your squad will be so lucky. I would hurry and make sure the blonde bimbo over there gets help quick. You don't want your teammate bleeding out do you now?" Naruto teased the lazy shinobi as Shikamaru dropped his kunai. _

_Naruto then appeared by his two guards, as Shikamaru stood there, frozen in the spot he stood. The Konoha shinobi watched as the masked man and his two companions vanished in a yellow flash. It was safe to say, the Nara got out of dodge quickly. _

_When they returned to Konoha, Shikamaru gave his report to Kakashi. Kakashi and the elders were stunned by his report. They needed to know immediately if this masked man was an enemy or a foe. Kakashi sent out his available Chuunin and Jonin squads. Their orders were to bring in the masked man for questioning should they find him. If needed, deadly force was allowed. _

_When Naruto returned home, he knew the predicament he put himself in. Konoha shinobi would be searching for him at all times. Euphemia was a bit worried for her husband, putting himself out there like that. For Naruto, however, he couldn't wait for the next group of Konoha shinobi he would meet. In the meantime, he made sure to ease the nerves of his wife._

_Team Guy was the next unlucky group to meet Naruto. A few weeks after his encounter with the Ino-Shika-Cho, Naruto was finishing up his last stop in this current inspection tour. He brought along Shigure and Deku for this tour. _

_Team Guy minus Guy himself had been inspecting a few of the West's merchant shops themselves, seeing the items they produced and tried to maybe gauge their power levels. They observed a masked man down the road, who was accompanied by a young woman with raven hair and a shorter young man in a jumpsuit who sported green hair. _

_The group decided to quietly follow them, hoping that they'd maybe get an idea of their strength and where they were headed to next. As Team Guy followed, Naruto knew they had company. He kept walking, looking to lead Team Guy into a trap. He brought them into an isolated location, far away from the main path where it wouldn't be easy to see and hear them. Naruto then stopped, which caused Team Guy to do the same. Naruto sent Shigure and Deku ahead while he waited. Eventually, the two disappeared into the distance. Naruto took a deep breath before turning around._

"_You can come out now, Konoha shinobi," he said as Team Guy appeared out of the trees. _

"_Enemy shinobi, you are hereby ordered to come with us for questioning," Neji said, as Naruto looked unfazed at his former friends. _

"_I have done nothing wrong," was Naruto's reply, forcing the Konoha shinobi to ready themselves._

"_You harmed Konoha shinobi in battle. That is enough for us to bring you in," Neji answered back._

"_I was merely defending myself," Naruto replied. _

"_If you do not come peacefully, we will be required to use deadly force," Lee said as Naruto took a fighting stance._

"_Well then, let's see how deadly you can get," he smirked under his Tengu mask._

_That's all it took for Team Guy to move in. Neji and Lee came up with a frontal attack, while Tenten stayed behind for support using her weapons mastery. _

_Tenten released a powerful array of weapons at Naruto out of her scrolls. Unfortunately, Naruto was much too fast for that. He shunshined out of the way easily. Neji and Lee combined tried to land a hit on him, however, Naruto deflected each shot with ease. He figured he needed to separate them, and jumped back to create some distance. He then let out a strong whistle. _

_Out of nowhere came Deku, his punch just barely missed an unsuspecting Neji. Tenten was about to change targets to Deku when Shigure popped out and swung her staff at Tenten. The Konoha weapons specialist dodged while trying to pop a scroll to get her own weapon out. She wouldn't get that chance. Shigure gave her no time and was on her every second. She hit Tenten with a combination attack, landing a blow to the abdomen and then the back of the neck, knocking the weapons Kunoichi out. _

_Lee was having his hands full with Naruto. The masked man was able to keep pace with Lee's taijutsu. Naruto was able to land shot after shot on Lee, finding holes in the taijutsu specialist's defenses. As Lee was focused with protecting his upper body, Naruto started to go lower. He started to pepper Lee's leg, the same leg that Tsunade healed years ago. Eventually, Lee's leg gave out and snapped after taking a kick. _

_He fell to one knee, barely being able to hold himself up and defend himself. He received a swift kick to his head that he barely managed to block in return. Unfortunately, the kick knocked Lee back so far, that it dragged his entire leg across the ground, causing more damage. He grabbed his leg, yelling out in serious pain, and was now out of the fight._

_Naruto then turned his attention to Neji, who seemed to get all he could handle with Deku. It was now time to give the Hyuuga an ass-whooping._

_Naruto jumped in front of an attack that would've landed on Deku and easily caught it. He forced the Hyuuga back, causing Neji to get a little off balance. The two stared down each other. _

"_It seems like fate doesn't treat you well today, Hyuuga," Naruto taunted Neji._

"_I do not believe I am resigned to any fate. I learned that from a good friend a long time ago," Neji responded._

"_Oh? A good friend? Do you Konoha shinobi abandon those you deem good friends?  
Naruto asked, the vile seeping in his voice. _

"_We do not abandon our comrades, especially in their time of need," was Neji's response. _

"_Not according to Uzumaki Naruto."_

_At this, Neji froze. Uzumaki Naruto. This masked man knew Naruto._

"_How do you know Uzumaki Naruto? What have you done with him?" Neji asked, rage building inside of him. _

"_I haven't done anything with him. He's just a "good friend" is all," Naruto said as he air quoted the good friend part. _

"_Please tell us where he is, we need to know that he is alright," said Lee, who was crawling near Neji._

"_Oh, I'm not sure I can do that. Plus, I don't think he wants to associate with people like you any longer. You know, he told me about the two of you. The Bushy Brows and the Hyuuga. How much of his time he invested in you two. The great lengths he went for the two of you. Yet when he needed you the most, you repaid him with silence. I can't believe he wasted his precious time on the two of you," Naruto spoke, anger and rage reaching a boiling point in him. Neji and Lee could only look down in disgust at themselves for their actions. They knew they didn't back up Naruto during his time of need, but were working to rectify those mistakes. This man knew Naruto and he possibly knew where Naruto was. This was their shot at redemption._

"_You will tell us where he is or so help me kami I will beat it out of you," Neji said as he got back into his 64 palms stance. _

"_Well, start praying then, Hyuuga," was Naruto's reply as his figure poofed into a log. Neji used his Byakugan to try and find him, but he wasn't in the surrounding area. What happened next was almost pure deja vu for Neji. Out came the masked man from the ground underneath him, landing a chakra empowered uppercut straight to Neji's jaw knocking the Hyuuga out cold. _

_Lee was the only conscious one left. Naruto, however, let him stay that way for now. _

"_I hope you find someone to heal that leg for you, Konoha shinobi. That injury isn't going to heal as quickly as the last time," Naruto said as he and his companions walked off into the distance, leaving Team Guy behind._

_Team Guy was found by their sensei and a backup team that was sent to look for them. When they returned to Konoha, Lee found out that his leg would heal, but the recovery time would be much longer since Tsunade was the only one that could perform the surgery and allow the leg to heal faster. _

_Neji and Tenten gave their report to Kakashi, who under pressure from the elders and the council, was forced to put the masked man in the Bingo Book. Naruto was the first person in history to have himself put in the Bingo Book twice at the same time. He was ranked an S-class shinobi and had a fight at your own risk warning attached to his name. _

_The last and final group that Naruto ran into was Team 8. Naruto had brought along both Zoro and Yusuke for this tour, which would be Naruto's last for a while. They had just finished their last stop on the inspection tour and were prepared to eat Naruto's favorite meal before heading back to the Empire. As they got their food, the group was interrupted by the arrival of Team 8. Naruto was getting extremely annoyed with these run-ins with his former classmates. He would have to leave a strong message with this one._

_Kurenai and her team confronted the masked man, who looked prepared to eat a meal. She was not one to usually interrupt someone while they were eating, but she had her orders. _

"_I hate to be rude and interrupt, but we will need you to come with us. You are wanted for questioning by our Hokage for harming Konoha shinobi in the Land of Fire," she explained as Naruto just broke his chopsticks and was prepared to eat._

_The young Emperor sighed, "the food is going to get cold. I better end this quick," he thought. _

_He got up from his seat, turning his attention to Team 8. He saw Kurenai, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata prepared to strike._

"_You know, I hate being ordered around by people who have no business bothering me. Also, for the millionth time, I did not harm your shinobi out of randomness, I merely was defending myself," he said. _

"_That's no excuse. Now come with us buddy, or face the consequences," Kiba spoke, him and Akamaru ready to strike at any moment. _

_Naruto let out a loud groan. He then started to weave hand signs at blazing speeds. When he was done, everyone was waiting for something to happen. A few seconds went by and still nothing. Kiba saw this opportunity to strike. _

"_I don't know how you managed to knock out the others, but you aren't as strong as they said you were. My turn now!" Kiba said as he and Akamaru launched at Naruto._

"_**Gatsuga!" **_

"_Kiba, no!" yelled Kurenai, unfortunately, she was too late._

_Naruto easily caught both Kiba and Akamaru by the head and slammed them into the ground, leaving them unconscious. _

"_You must learn to teach your students patience, or they'll never make it past the age of twenty," Naruto said as he stared at Kurenai. _

_Shino started to weave his signs and his swarm of bugs came from under his sweater. Unfortunately, they started to drop like flies, literally._

"_My signs were for your bugs Aburame. I swear, your team must be the most predictable team that Konoha has sent out to get me," Naruto said as he grinned maniacally under his mask. "It's my turn now," he said as he launched a few kunai in the air. _

_He teleported to each kunai, jumping in between them at record speeds as they made their way near Team 8. They didn't even know what hit them. Naruto knocked out Shino with a chop to the neck while he grabbed Kurenai simultaneously by the back of the neck and slammed her to the ground. He left both unconscious as he stood up and observed the Hyuuga, who was in her fighting stance, preparing for anything. _

_He studied her. He felt something was different about her. She didn't seem like that shy and nervous girl from before. In all honesty, Naruto didn't really know how he felt about Hinata. He always saw her as a shy person and she would always end up fainting while he was around her. Though she never defended him, Naruto felt very differently about her, leading him to spare her, for now. _

_He turned around and walked back to the ramen, confusing both Hinata and his special guard. They kept a watch on the Hyuuga, while Naruto sat back down to eat. He checked the temperature of the bowl, grinning under his mask that the ramen was still hot. He was getting ready for his first bite when,_

"_**Spirit Gun" **_

_Yusuke shot at barrage of kunai that was headed for Naruto. Yusuke shot down most of them in the air while Zoro finished off anything else that was left. _

_A squad of ten Anbu, Danzo and Sasuke made their presence known. Hinata went to check on her teammates while the arriving group moved in. _

"_Of course my future wife is the only one standing. I know beauty and power when I see it. You will provide me with strong offspring," Sasuke said to Hinata, who ignored him completely. _

"_You have made quite a commotion my friend. I see you can handle your business quite well," Danzo started as Sasuke observed the masked man sitting at the counter. _

"_You know, I can get you off the hook from these other idiots if you join me. Having a powerful person like you under my command would help make Konoha the strongest country the world has ever known," Danzo finished as Naruto didn't even acknowledge the old man. In fact, he was preparing his first bite of ramen when the bowl exploded. The soup and noodles went everywhere. Naruto was furious that a good bowl of ramen had gone to waste. He got up quickly, looking to see the culprit of this atrocity. _

_He saw the Uchiha grinning, "You remind me of this Dobe that loved ramen. Too bad he was weak and got banished."_

"_Interesting you say that Uchiha because I swore I heard that this "Dobe" defeated you in battle. I also heard that he got banished because he beat you up too much," Naruto taunted, causing the Uchiha to flare up in anger. _

"_Who told you these lies?! I'll kill this person myself if I have the chance!" Sasuke yelled in anger._

"_I know for sure they aren't lies Uchiha. I don't think Uzumaki Naruto is one to lie about these things."_

"_The Dobe? Where is he? Take me to him, so I can finish him off once and for all," _

"_Hmm...let me think about that…..How about fuck no? I think that was the answer you were looking for," Naruto said, causing the Uchiha's anger to boil over. _

"_Now now, if you know where that demon brat is, it would be wise to tell us. We outnumber you here. You don't stand a chance against us," Danzo interjected, liking his chances._

"_Hmph. Is that a challenge old man? How's about this? Why don't you, your pet Uchiha, and your little goon squad over here just fuck off? No one orders us around. So if you know what's good for you, you will turn around and leave before you do something you regret," Naruto threatened. _

"_Well, have it your way," Danzo said as he signaled his ROOT anbu to move in. _

_Just as Naruto predicted, it wasn't good for the Konoha shinobi. Though they were outnumbered twelve to three, the Emperor and his personal guard took it to the ROOT anbu. Danzo was too busy trying to unwrap his bandages when he was knocked unconscious by the back of Zoro's sword. _

_In the meantime, Naruto and Sasuke squared off. Naruto noticed that the Uchiha hadn't improved much since the last time they fought. Three years of house arrest and being forbidden from shinobi training would do that to a person. _

_Naruto took advantage of this and toyed with the Uchiha. He didn't even have to use any ninjutsu. Taijutsu was all he needed to knock out the Uchiha. Naruto started off low this time, kicking the Uchiha in the legs and most likely breaking them both. He then went to work on Sasuke's midsection, then his arms until the Uchiha couldn't stand any longer._

_Sasuke was in major pain. He hadn't felt pain like this before since the last time he faced off against Naruto. He dropped to his knees, unable to stand anymore due to the damage that his legs took. He was nearing the point of unconsciousness when the masked man grabbed him by the hair and forced Sasuke to look at him. He couldn't do anything to stop this since both his arms were broken. _

"_Look here you little shit. I'm tired of you Konoha shinobi coming after me like this. Tell your Hokage that if he wants his village to remain standing, he will leave me the fuck alone. It would be wise to do so since I'm the Emperor of the United Western Empire. If he doesn't comply, I will burn Konoha down to the ground," Naruto said as he knocked the Uchiha unconscious. _

_With no food, Naruto decided that it was time to return home. He would have much planning to do. Before that, he noticed Hinata still standing. She observed him, also hearing what he had told Sasuke before he knocked him out. _

"_I apologize for the inconvenience, Hyuuga. I do hope we meet again on better terms," Naruto told her as he put his hand on Zoro and Yusuke's shoulders and then they vanished. _

_When the shinobi's from Konoha got back home, Hinata gave her report to Kakashi. When the Copy Ninja found out that they had been targeting the Emperor of the United Western Empire, he immediately took his name out of the Bingo Book. Kakashi was also perplexed about the news that the Emperor knew Naruto and that most likely, his sensei's son was in the West somewhere. Unfortunately for Kakashi, he didn't know for sure that Naruto was in the West. He wanted to go, but he was still holding out hope that Tsunade would give him a full confirmation that Naruto was there. He needed to send word to her and hoped that she would answer him back soon._

_**End Flashback**_

"The Konoha group will be here by the second day of the festival. I assume they'll arrive by nightfall. We will make the necessary preparations for them, yes?" Naruto asked as he directed his attention to Kenpachi who gave him a head nod.

"Good. Then it is settled then," Naruto said before a hand rose up from the Flame Alchemist.

"Forgive me for the skepticism here boss, but do you think this is still a good idea to invite them during the Festival?" he asked.

"Yes it is." Everyone looked towards the door as Euphemia stepped in the room followed by Nunnally and Akame. The rest of the council stood up at attention as the Empress made her way to the side of her husband.

"It is time they pay for their sins. When they learn who they're dealing with, they will run and hide like cowards," Euphemia finished as Naruto agreed with her sentiments.

"In a way, this will also allow me to face my demons. When this is all over, we will prepare for the next stage of the plan. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Boss!" was the reply he got from his entire council.

"Good. This meeting is adjourned. You may return to your duties," Naruto said as he acknowledged his council and walked out of the room with his wife, Jiraiya, and Itachi. Most of the council waited for him to leave before they all huddled up together.

"Okay, who wants to bet that Naruto kills somebody from his hometown when they come here?" asked Nami. Everyone raised their hand.

"I said get back to your duties!" Naruto yelled from down the hall. Immediately, the council dispersed and returned to their assignments.

"1,000 ryo minimum," Nami yelled aloud, to no one in particular.

**A/N: Last flashback chapter. Thank God. Now we can finally get on with the story. Review if you wish**


	8. The Unification Festival: Day 1 & 2

**One Week Later- Day 1 of the Unification Festival**

Preparations for the Unification Festival were finished on schedule. Buildings were decorated commemorating the anniversary of the West's unification. Different lights hung from even the tallest skyscrapers that made up the downtown area of the Capital. Restaurants and food vendors were all lined up on the alley dubbed "Restaurant Row". All types of food could be found here like sushi, steak, chicken, fish, donburi, bento, BBQ, sweet snacks, savory snacks, desserts, and even ramen. Noticeably, the biggest vendor on Restaurant Row was a fan favorite, not only among the people but the Emperor as well.

Ichiraku Ramen was a very large ramen restaurant now. It was no longer just a small, ramen stand. Naruto had made sure to give his two favorite people all the appliances and space they needed to make Ichiraku Ramen a success. What was old man Teuchi and Ayame doing here in the West you ask? Well, it's really not that hard to figure out.

_**Flashback**_

_Ever since Naruto was banished, Teuchi and Ayame had longed to get back their favorite customer. Ayame missed the boy she considered her younger brother and cried heavily when the news of Naruto's banishment became public. Teuchi as well, not only had he lost his best customer, but he also missed seeing the usually cheerful Naruto enjoying his ramen. In the past, Teuchi left ramen hot for Naruto, knowing that the young blonde would be hungry late at night. No matter if the shop was closed or even if it was at three in the morning, Teuchi would make Naruto ramen. After Naruto was banished, however, Teuchi still did this routine. However, he would always come back to the shop, staring at the bowl he left for Naruto, then would shed tears, sad that he was helpless in preventing Naruto's banishment._

_A year or so after the Empire of the West had been established, Ichiraku's received a letter that was sent by the Emperor himself. The Emperor explained that he heard of Ichiraku's great ramen and wanted to experience it for himself. He offered Teuchi and Ayame a place to set up shop, a house, and anything else they needed in order for them to make a move West. He promised protection and great profit, but he also offered them a chance to see Naruto again. The Emperor explained that they would need to keep this a secret though and to tell no one that Naruto was in the West. If they accepted, they would meet at one of the West's merchant shops and show the guards the letter. They would then be transferred to the West._

_Teuchi decided that it was time to make a move. Even if the letter was fake, they would at least have a chance to make some money, seeing as though their popularity in Konoha had dwindled since Naruto left. People saw how well Teuchi and Ayame treated the young Jinchuuriki in the past and ostracized Ichiraku's because they never talked bad about Naruto. Also, even if the chances were slim to see Naruto again, it was a risk Teuchi and Ayame was willing to take. _

_Teuchi and Ayame requested to the civilian council to approve of their move. Teuchi cited that he wanted to study different types of ramen from other places so that he could perfect his craft. The civilian council quickly accepted, wanting to get rid of anyone who didn't agree with their thinking when it came to Naruto. _

_Teuchi and Ayame packed all their belongings and packed up shop. They headed to one of the West's Merchant's shops, south from Konoha, and showed the guard the letter they received. The guard ushered them in and set them up in a room for the night. The next morning, a knock came at their door. When Teuchi opened it, a young woman with brown hair tied in a ponytail met them at the door. She wore short cutoff denim shorts and a black crop top, leaving her tanned skin belly exposed. She didn't say a word but motioned for Teuchi and Ayame to follow her. _

_As they got to the main lobby, the woman signaled to the rest of her crew, who were sitting down at the bar. A tall, muscular African-American man, a taller caucasian man with blonde hair, and a Japanese man in a suit stood up and followed them out the door. They made their way to a ship both Teuchi and Ayame had never seen before. They got onto the ship and went below deck. _

_The younger Japanese man introduced the group to them. He said that his name was Rokuro Okajima, the taller African-American male was Dutch, the blonde man was Benny and the woman who greeted them at the door was Revy. He mentioned that they were sent by the Emperor to escort them to the West. It would be about a one day trip and to make themselves as comfortable as possible. _

_The group got to their destination without a hitch. They strolled into one of the large ship harbors and were greeted by Yachiru Kusajishi, who escorted them to the Emperor's chambers. Teuchi and Ayame were amazed at the scenery in their new home. They noticed how the buildings, which stood even taller than the Hokage monument, were placed next to each other. They noticed the liveliness of the city, as it seemed like people were always walking around no matter where they went._

_Yachiru explained to them that this was the Capital, the main city in the Western Empire. This is where all the business usually occurs and that the large buildings and skyscrapers were built in a few months, citing that the technology they had in the West was much more advanced to that of the East. There were so many questions that they had, yet had very little time to ask them. Yachiru assured them that all of their questions would be answered after they meet the Emperor._

_When they reached the Emperor's chambers, Walter greeted them outside and allowed Yachiru to take a break. The butler then ushered Teuchi and Ayame into the Emperor's throne room, where the Emperor and the Empress were waiting for them. Off to the side were Yusuke and Hiei, leaning against the wall as they watched over their respective assignments. _

_Teuchi and Ayame bowed quickly, showing respect for the Emperor and his wife._

"_No please, do not bow to me. I am no better than any of you. Please, rise," Teuchi and Ayame did as they were told. They noticed that the Emperor wore a Tengu mask while his wife didn't have one on. They noticed her beauty, and also her radiant smile as she looked upon the two former Konoha citizens._

"_We would like to thank you for your kind letter, Emperor-Sama. We are grateful for the opportunity," Teuchi spoke as he lowered his head a bit. _

"_No need to thank me, Teuchi-san. The one you should thank is Uzumaki Naruto. For he is the one that recommended you come here. I too, am a big fan of ramen and he mentioned that you were the best that he had ever had. So of course, I did what I could to bring you here," the Emperor explained as Ayame stood up and moved towards the throne of the Emperor and Empress. Yusuke and Hiei sped into action, halting her progress. _

"_Please. Please tell us where he is. We have missed him so much. I have so many things to tell him, so many apologies to give him. I just want to hug him and let him know that we were always supporting him," she said, tears flowing from her eyes as the Emperor stood up from his seat. He motioned Yusuke and Hiei to let her be, as the two bodyguards moved out of his way. _

_The Emperor then put a hand on Ayame's shoulder, comforting her. "Do not worry Ayame-san, you will meet him soon. He is currently on assignment, but when he returns, he will be the first to see you. He will also be the first to try your ramen, so don't worry about that. Now, I would hope that you enjoy your stay here. I have already made preparations for your new restaurant and your new residence. I hope you rest for a few days before you go to work. I am very excited to taste your ramen," the Emperor said as Ayame smiled a little before returning to her father. They were then escorted to their new home, a nice apartment space that was bigger than their old one, ten-fold. _

_**A Week Later**_

_As promised, Teuchi and Ayame were given a few days' break before they started to work. They took a tour of their new space, which was indeed quite large. They weren't sure about how they would handle a restaurant since it was only the two of them. However, there were already applications being sent in for support staff. It seemed the Emperor had already done some searching to help them out. Teuchi hoped that the people here would be much better than those of the East. Teuchi shopped for ingredients while Ayame conducted interviews and made the staff hirings. Eventually, by the end of the week, Ichiraku Ramen in the West was officially open for business. _

_However, they had a bit of a soft opening first. Allowing a few people to try their ramen first before anyone else. Their first customers, of course, were the Emperor and Empress themselves._

_Both Teuchi and Ayame were nervous. The Emperor and Empress were seated at the counter, flanked by their two special guards. Yusuke and Gon Freecss for Naruto, Hiei, and Akame for Euphemia. Both the Emperor and Empress order the miso chashu pork ramen, which was also the favorite of Naruto. This led to both Teuchi and Ayame wondering where Naruto was. The Emperor had mentioned that Naruto would be their first customer, disappointing Teuchi and Ayame just a bit. _

_As Teuchi nervously prepared the ramen, Naruto started to salivate under his mask. He couldn't wait to taste Ichiraku ramen again. He longed for it, but first, there was some business to take care of. _

_As the ramen was placed in front of the Emperor and Empress, Teuchi and Ayame started to sweat profusely._

"_I hope he likes it," Teuchi thought._

"_What if he doesn't like it? Will he kick us out? Will he harm Naruto because he vouched for us?" Ayame thought._

_Naruto smiled a bit, sensing the father-daughter duo getting very nervous. He figured he should end the misery they must be feeling right now. He took his mask off, completely. Showing his face to Teuchi and Ayame. _

_Teuchi and Ayame nearly fainted. It couldn't be. The whisker marks on his face were still there. His bright, yellow hair still was spiky as ever. His bright blue eyes shined as he put a big smile on his face. Though he was older and much more mature looking, it was definitely the boy they remembered._

"_I did tell you both that Uzumaki Naruto was going to be the first to try Ichiraku Ramen and dammit I can't wait-ttebayo!" Naruto said as Ayame ran up to him in flash and hugged him tightly. She couldn't care less if this was improper, she was just happy to see the person she saw as a younger brother again. _

"_Naruto-kun, I've missed you so much," she said as tears fell from eyes. Naruto reciprocated the hug, a warm smile on his face. _

"_I've missed you too Ayame-chan. I've missed both of you guys. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me over the years. It's now time I pay you guys back."_

_After a few moments, Ayame let go and hugged Euphemia now, surprising the Empress a bit, "Thank you so much for taking care of him. I hope he hasn't caused you too many problems, but I'm happy he has found someone who loves him." Euphemia reciprocated the hug too, thanking both Ayame and Teuchi for all they did for Naruto back in Konoha. _

_After all the pleasantries, Naruto decided it was time to eat. He couldn't wait to dig into the ramen he had missed for so long. Euphemia also wanted to see what was so special about this ramen. Naruto had rambled to her about how great Ichiraku's was, which Euphemia couldn't really believe. It was just ramen. How good could it be?_

_The Empress soon found out how good it was. After she took her first bite, she kept going back for more bites, not slowing down at all. Next thing you know, she was done. However, her stomach longed for more. Naruto was already on to his second bowl when he noticed that his wife had a look of disappointment on her face. _

"_What's wrong Euphie?" he asked, as both Teuchi and Ayame were wondering the same. They hoped she had like it. _

"_It's empty. I've never finished a ramen bowl like this before," she said as Naruto laughed._

"_I told you it was good! Oh yee of little faith," Naruto teased as Euphemia requested another bowl. All in all, the Empress nearly matched her husband. She ate four bowls while her husband ate five. It was a great day for Teuchi and Ayame, knowing that Naruto was safe and that he was the Emperor no less, and also that the Empress liked it too. They had so many questions that they wanted to ask Naruto and he answered all of them. _

_Eventually, Ichiraku Ramen became a big hit in the West. Endorsed by the Emperor himself, thousands flocked to the restaurant every week. It got so busy that Teuchi needed to hire six more chefs to keep up with the demand. Not to mention that he also got the bright idea of having a delivery service for people who couldn't get a seat inside. It was safe to say, Ichiraku's was a huge success in the United Western Empire._

_End Flashback_

There were different stages of entertainment that would be on display during the Festival. A kabuki concert and also a stage show of the Thousand Year War. Also set up were booths for games so that people could win prizes. Also found were thrill rides for both adults and children alike to ride during the Festival. There was a large Ferris Wheel attraction with a Fox design attached to the middle. The design was based on Kurama, who had persuaded Naruto to be a part of the festival in some way.

To kick off the Festival, a large parade was conducted on the main street of the Capital. Large floats and balloons filled the streets of different characters and people. Dancers and bands participated in the parade while other important people, who were considered heroes of the West also participated. The last people of the parade were the Emperor and Empress themselves. Flanked by their special guards, Naruto and Euphemia waved to the cheering people of the West. The crowds went crazy when they saw their favorite leaders as they passed by. Many showered the husband and wife with orange-colored flowers, Naruto's favorite.

Once the parade was over, an opening ceremony was held on the steps of the Emperors Palace. Naruto and Euphemia spoke to the large crowd which gathered for the Festival. Naruto thanked everyone for coming and that it was their time to celebrate a new era of peace. He also thanked everyone for their hard work and that the Festival was a time for people to enjoy themselves with their families and friends. As he signaled for the festivities to begin, large amounts of fireworks lit up the sky, as people cheered. It was time to party.

Naruto and Euphemia also took some time to enjoy the Festival. It was their custom to do so since they started the Festival. They walked down the main street, watching people have fun eating or playing games. Naruto even decided to try his hand at a few of the games. He challenged his wife to a water gun shooting game. They had to hit the circle as best they could until the Kurama figure roared to know who finished first. Many of the women were cheering on the Euphemia, while the men cheered on Naruto. Unfortunately, Naruto got destroyed.

"You know I let you win this one," he said as he kissed his wife on the cheek.

"I'm sure you did, Dear," Euphemia responded. The special guard for both husband and wife snickered at Naruto.

The next game they played was a ring toss game. Naruto managed to win this one, choosing a flower doll as his prize. He got on one knee and acted like he was proposing as he gave his wife the flower. His wife could only laugh at his gesture, accepted the flower. Other people awed and cooed at the Emperor and Empress. They loved seeing that they could be hopeless romantics like everyone else.

After the games, Naruto and Euphemia got front row seats to watch the stage show, reenacting the Thousand Year War. The two laughed as the person who played Lelouch started to angrily yell at Naruto during a dinner scene. It was a very accurate depiction of the two brothers-in-law. As the end came near, the reminisced on the depiction of the Final Battle that they took part in. Naruto, of course, leading the front lines as he put Rasengan into one of the last warlords that opposed them. The final scene was of Naruto proposing to Euphemia, as people in the crowd cheered at the scene. Naruto and Euphemia themselves gave a standing ovation to the actors and actresses in the play. It was a very accurate depiction and they loved every bit of it.

Then of course, it was time to get some food. The couple made their way to Ichiraku, where there was already a reserved table waiting for them. The couple had only one bowl of ramen each this time, making sure they had room to try the other food vendors. They eventually got takoyaki, yakitori, and some mochi as well. Naruto also made sure somebody kept an eye on Luffy. He didn't want his General of the Seas eating up all the food again like last year. Even though Goku wasn't at the Festival, Luffy could do some serious damage on his own.

They then decided to try their hand at some of the rides. They rode the Kurama coaster and ended up on the Ferris Wheel. As the two reached the top, Naruto took Euphemia into his arms, as they looked out over the beautiful city.

"I can't believe we did it," Euphemia said, as she snuggled up into Naruto's embrace.

"Neither can I, but look at all of it. Peace in the West. Who would've thought," he said, kissing her the top of her head. The two remained there for a few minutes until the Ferris Wheel started to move again.

"You know, why don't we head back? I think we have some other "business" to take care of don't you think?" Naruto whispered in his wife's ear, a sly grin on his face. Euphemia turned to her husband, knowing full well his intentions.

"It's still early yet, dear. Plus, I'm so full of energy. You know how I am after. You wear me out," she replied looking back at the view, disappointing Naruto a bit. Then, an idea popped into his head. A sly grin appearing back on his face.

"I'll make three of them this time," he said as Euphemia shot up.

"Let's go!" she shouted, throwing Naruto off a bit.

Once they had gotten down from the Ferris Wheel, the two raced off for the Palace. Euphemia was pulling Naruto at blazing speeds. She had wanted this for some time now and Naruto was finally going to give it to her. Many people were watching and laughing at the sight of the Empress pulling the Emperor along back to the palace. The Special Guard didn't even bother to follow, knowing full well what the two were going to do. Naruto gave them the rest of the day off and as it was midday, they still had plenty of time to enjoy the Festival.

**Next Day- Day 2 of the Unification Festival**

The next day was basically a repeat of the first day. Though Naruto and Euphemia got a late start. Like Euphemia had feared, the both of them were worn out from the previous night. They got up late and would've slept longer if Lelouch didn't bang on their door during lunchtime.

As they set out for the day, Naruto wasn't as cheerful as he was the previous day. He didn't do as many things as he wanted. He also let Euphemia run off with her sisters to have fun. He let her do this, so it would give him some time to think. He spent the day roaming around the Festival, lost in his own thoughts. He passed Jiraiya, who was having a week long drinking competition with Shio Sakaki, Gintoki Sakata, Revy, and 10th Division Gotei lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto.

He also passed Itachi, who seemed to be chatting with Ayame at Ichiraku. Naruto found this odd yet interesting, not knowing that the Uchiha was interested in women.

Naruto was snapped out of it when he saw a little girl crying. She looked to be by herself and a bit lost. She was holding a sunflower in one hand while wiping her tears in the other. Naruto could only think of the times when he was alone himself and cried. He hated the feeling. It only made him more conscious and aware of what was to come in the very near future. He would have to deal with his past. But first, the problem at hand.

He approached the little girl, with a soft smile on his face.

"Hey, what's wrong," he said, bending down to get eye level with her.

"I-I-I lost my parents. I d-don't know, where they went," she said, trying to regain her breath from all the crying.

"Well where did you see them last?" he asked.

"T-t-they were getting food, b-but I wanted this flower. So I-I went off on my own and g-got the flower. B-but now I can't find my p-parents. T-they're going to be m-mad at me," she said as Naruto saw her predicament.

"Well, why don't I help you find them? It's not safe for you to be by yourself like this," he said as the girl nodded. The tears finally stopping. Naruto took her hand and they started to walk together, trying to find her parents.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Himawari."

"Well, that's a nice name. No wonder you like sunflowers," Naruto said as he smiled back at the little girl who returned the smile. She was a bit more cheerful now, thankful that she wasn't alone.

"Some kids tease me because of it. One time, some boys tried to step on my sunflower that I brought to school, but I got in the way and they ended up stepping on my hand. It was worth it though because I wanted to protect my sunflower," she said, which kind of stunned Naruto a bit.

"You know, it's good that you protect something you hold extremely close to you. I'm like that, too-ttebayo. Never let that bother you. Always protect what you love," he told her, as the little girl smiled at the kind words.

As they continued walking, people that passed noticed that a little girl was holding hands with the Emperor. They all asked if they wanted anything or needed anything. Naruto declined but asked young Himawari if she wanted anything. She shook her head but was amazed at the respect the person she was holding hands with had among everybody. She believed that he must've been a very important person.

She looked up at him as he looked around for her parents. "Ano, what is your name?" she asked shyly as Naruto looked down at her with a smile.

"Of course, where are my manners. My name is Naruto," he responded which made the girl giggle a little.

"You mean like the kamaboko?" Himawari asked as Naruto, in turn, laughed as well.

"Yup my name is just like the kamaboko. I love naruto in my ramen," Naruto responded as the girl nodded her head in agreement.

"I like naruto in my ramen too. Say, Naruto-san, how come so many people keep coming up to you and asking if you want anything? Are you someone very important?" she asked as any little kid would. Naruto was amazed at the perception that this little girl had.

"I wouldn't say I'm important, I just help out the Empress from time to time," Naruto replied as Himawari amazed by that answer.

"You know the Empress?! What is she like? I heard she is the prettiest, nicest, and most powerful person in the entire world next to the Emperor," Himawari said as Naruto chuckled in agreement.

"You know, she is all of what you said times a thousand," Naruto said as he thought of his wife. Himawari propped up at that and smiled knowing that she could brag to some of her friends that she met someone who knows the Empress.

"Say Himawari-chan, what do you hear about the Emperor?" Naruto asked for himself wanting to see what this little girl would say about him.

"I heard he is this really scary guy who could kill people by just looking at them. If you don't do as your told, he will send you to the dungeons and keep you there for a loooooong time," Himawari answered as Naruto laughed hard at her response.

"Is that what the kids really think about me these days? I guess I need to go out more and change my image among the younger crowd," Naruto thought.

The pair continued onto Restaurant Row to see if they could find little Himawari's parents. They stopped for a moment to scan the area when a loud gasp followed by a "Himawari-chan!" could be heard in the crowd.

Himawari's parents caught a glimpse of the Emperor and noticed he was holding their little girl's hand. They rushed over immediately as Naruto and Himawari turned to them.

"Emperor-sama," the parents said as they got on their knees and bowed before Naruto. Himawari's eyes got a bit wide and turned to look at Naruto. She then did the same as her parents and bowed before Naruto. She couldn't believe she just called him a scary guy that sends people to the dungeons.

"Thank you so much for finding our daughter. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. We will never lose sight of her again," they said as Naruto was a bit embarrassed by the situation. He didn't like the attention and people were starting to stare and look at them now.

"Please do not be sorry for anything. I was out here by myself and Himawari-chan was great company. Raise your heads, you do not need to bow before me," Naruto said as the parents did as they were told. Himawari looked up at Naruto in amazement. Now it made sense why people were offering things to Naruto and her. He was a very important person but didn't seem to be scary as some of the other kids her age described.

"If there is anything we can do, Emperor-sama, please do not hesitate to ask," Himawari's father said as Naruto waved him off.

"Do not worry. It is quite alright. My only request is that you do not scold Himawari-chan. She has a good heart and is a joy to be around. She is young and still learning, so cut her some slack today. Please enjoy your time together as a family at the festival," Naruto said as Himawari's parents bowed in acceptance of the request.

He then turned his attention to Himawari, who was offering up her sunflower shyly to Naruto. The Emperor graciously bent down to accept her gift. She then hugged him and thanked him for helping her find her parents

"Remember now, never let anything get between you and those you love, Himawari-chan. If you ever want to visit the Palace, just let me know and I'll make sure that the Empress is there to meet you," Naruto said as he patted her head. She nodded with a big smile on her face.

"I'll make sure to tell the others that you are not as scary as they had heard," Himawari said in response which elicited another loud laugh out of Naruto. Himawari took hold of her parent's hands as they bid farewell to the Emperor and disappeared into the crowd.

"Himawari. That's a nice name. Maybe in another lifetime, I'll name my daughter Himawari, too," he thought.

"I must say, you have a way with children. You planning on having any in the near future?" asked Roy Mustang, who was watching the situation unfold from afar.

"After hearing the stories from you, I think I'll pass for now," Naruto joked, the Flame Alchemis chuckling a bit.

"Well, you would be wise to do so. I'm sure Riza would agree. Though, I can't say that I hate the kid either. He is one half of me. Seeing him every day puts a smile on my face," he said, pondering Naruto to think of the idea for a bit. After the two had a small chat, Naruto decided it was time to head back to the Palace.

There was a lot on his mind now. He knew the Konoha group would be arriving by nightfall. He had wished that he allowed them to come at the end of the Festival instead of the beginning. However, he would rather get it done sooner than later. He needed to deal with his past.

**Later that Evening**

Euphemia was beat. Spending the day with her sisters really took a toll on her. Cornelia wanted to do everything. Literally everything. She was sure that they visited every food stand at least twice and also rode every ride that was available. In addition to that, she hadn't seen her husband all day. She felt bad for abandoning him, but her sisters insisted just for today.

As she strode into their bedroom, she saw Naruto half-naked, laying on their bed, staring at the ceiling.

"So this is where my husband has run off to," she said as she slipped out of her clothes and into bed next to him, giving him light kisses on his cheek. He turned to her, bringing her half-naked body closer to him. They cuddled up to each other, playfully teasing the other while giving kisses here and there.

"You're thinking about it aren't you?" Euphemia asked as she ran her finger down her husband's chest.

"All day," was his response.

"Well, you have to deal with it at some point. Might as well do it now. I can't wait to see the look on their faces," she said.

"Neither can I. Ah! let's not talk about it now. How was your day?" Naruto asked, playing around with his wife's bra strap.

"Well, my day was tiring. Cornelia made us do everything like a billion times. I probably went on the Kurama coaster at least ten times today. How was yours? Anything interesting happened?" she responded, as her hand made its way down to Naruto's crotch.

"Well, I helped a little girl find her parents today. She even gave me a sunflower for my help," Naruto said, as he started to grope his wife's nice, firm, butt.

"So I was told. I ran into Roy and he told me all about it. You have such a way with children. Can't help to think what it would be like if we had kids of our own," Euphemia hinted, as she fiddled around with Naruto's boxers.

"Well, we have plenty of time for that in the future," Naruto said. He started to nibble on Euphemia's neck, eliciting a soft moan out of the Empress.

"Or we could just start the process now," Euphemia said, rubbing Naruto's rapidly growing shaft up and down.

The two started to make out heavily. Tongues fighting for dominance over the other. Euphemia made sure that she would take Naruto's mind off of things for the moment. Knowing well that this would most likely be the last intimate time they would have for a while.

**Western Border- A few Hours Later**

After a week-long trip, the Konoha envoy made it to the border of the United Western Empire. They were all tired from the long journey. Even Danzo, Sai and Sasuke were beat, having to be repeatedly on the move to just reach the border. They were stopped by a few samurai, who were the security of one of the entrances.

"Halt, state your business!"

"We have come with an appointment to see the Emperor," Asuma stated as he handed the samurai guard the letter. While the samurai looked over the letter and verified it, a fireworks show started. The Eastern shinobi watched as the display of colorful fireworks lit up the sky while oohs and awws could be heard from others entering the West for the Festival.

"What's going on?" Kiba asked, wondering what all the commotion was about.

"It's our annual Unification Festival. We celebrate it every year and it signifies our unification as a country. It's a big Festival that everyone attends, even the Emperor and Empress," the samurai said as he requested everyone's identification.

"What do you know of the Emperor? Is he a really experienced fighter or is he just a figurehead?" Danzo asked. Asuma and Kurenai wanted to chastise him right there for almost insulting the Emperor.

"Well if you must know, he's probably the strongest fighter here. I mean he basically turned the tide of the war himself, which is a great feat for someone so young," was the reply Danzo got.

"How young is he?" Kurenai asked.

"He's about, hmmm let me think about this. He's relatively young, probably as old as most of the people in your group. Daisuke, how long did it take for the Emperor to unify the lands?" the samurai asked his companion next to him.

"He got here relatively young, but I think it only took him like three years? I'm pretty sure it was three. I know he's been ruling for three as well," the samurai responded as Sasuke just scoffed at this.

"If it was me, I would've accomplished that feat much faster," he said as a loud chuckle could be heard coming near them.

"Oh yeah Uchiha? You and what army?" Kenpachi said as he approached the Konoha group with Yachiru on his back.

Sasuke was pissed that someone would dare to talk back to him, "I wouldn't need an army obviously. Others would want me to lead them, because I am simply above everyone," Sasuke replied. Kenpachi just chuckled while he shook his head.

"Naruto was right. This kid really does have his head so far up his ass," Kenpachi thought.

"I could also kick your ass to show you my power, underling," Sasuke said, snapping Kenpachi out of it.

"You wanna go Uchiha?!" Kenpachi said as his aura caused the Konoha shinobi to tremble. Even Sasuke started to go weak in the knees.

"Ken-chan, we are supposed to be escorting them, not kill them," Yachiru said, unaffected by Kenpachi.

Kenpachi settled down, as the Konoha shinobi were able to breathe a bit more easily. He saw the fear in the Uchiha's eyes. He knew the boy had no chance against Naruto and couldn't wait to see him kill the Uchiha. For now, he had to wait. It would go all according to plan eventually.

"Tch, I was just having a bit of fun, Yachiru," he said, causing some concern with the Konoha group. If he was just having fun, what was his serious they thought.

"You heard the girl, we are supposing to be escorting you to your quarters for the night. My name is Zaraki Kenpachi and this here on my back is my first lieutenant Kusajishi Yachiru. We will be your escorts for this evening. Thank you, Captain, we will take it from here," Kenpachi said as the samurai bowed and returned the identification cards back to the Konoha group. The followed as Kenpachi started to walk through the border gates and into the large lively city.

"So, uh, Kenpachi-san, when do we get to meet the Emperor?" Asuma asked.

"The Emperor has retired for the evening. You will meet with him tomorrow. Until then, you're my responsibility," Kenpachi responded as he kept on walking. The group passed a play that was going on, one of the last of the evening about the Thousand Year War.

Choji also saw the many food stands and restaurants that were on Restaurant Row and wanted to eat, "Do we get to participate in the Festival as well?" the Akimichi asked as his eyes lit up.

"You all get to participate tomorrow. The Festival is almost done for the evening so people are closing up shop. They will open first thing in the morning and you can enjoy until your meeting with the Emperor. The group proceeded to walk down Restaurant Row, taking in the different vendors and restaurants that were available.

They passed a large Ichiraku Ramen sign and noticed Ayame and Teuchi locking up for the night. The father and daughter noticed the group but turned away immediately when a few tried to say hi to them. They wanted nothing to do with Konoha now, especially the way they were treated after Naruto's banishment.

"Sheesh, what's their problem?" Kiba asked aloud, to no one in particular.

After a few more minutes, they finally arrived at their destination, "Okay here we are," Kenpachi said as the Konoha group looked up at the massive building. It read 'Hotel de Grande' in the middle of two sets of hotel buildings that were connected. It was way different from anything the Konoha shinobi had ever seen before. Not even the Hokage tower was that big.

"These will be your quarters for the night. Here are your keys and room numbers. Please don't bother any other guests. We will know. Please don't try to sneak out either because we will know and it involves more paperwork for me. So just stay in your assigned rooms. You all have a big day tomorrow," Kenpachi said, as he chuckled at the last part. "Well have a nice night. You all like look crap so I would suggest getting as much sleep as you can. You're going to need it.

"Thank you, Kenpachi-san," Asuma said as Kenpachi just waved as he and Yachiru walked off.

The Konoha shinobi got to their rooms and noticed the large setup. They were given. They were divided into females and males. Kurenai, Ino, Tenten, and Hinata were in a room while Asuma, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Neji, and Lee were given the larger of the three rooms. Danzo, Sai, and Sasuke were put in a separate room, which unbeknownst to them, had spy cameras and secret surveillance equipment. After they were all settled, Asuma called a meeting in his room.

"Look, I don't have to stress how important this is for us. We need to get this done. So I expect we all be on our best behavior and not do anything that will get us killed before we even get a meeting. Am I clear, Uchiha?" Asuma said, looking Sasuke dead in the eye.

"If you would have let me, I would have just killed him easily and show that the West isn't to be as feared as so many people make them to be," he shrugged.

"And if you did that, then we wouldn't get any alliance whatsoever. I don't know why we even let you out from your prison. You're lucky to even be alive right now. It was a mistake to let you live and it was a mistake of banishing Naruto instead of you. Sometimes, I wish Naruto would've killed you instead of bringing you back and we wouldn't be in this mess," Asuma said, anger rising in his voice.

"Like that Dobe could do anything to me. Also, watch your tone Sarutobi. You're speaking to an elite. Just because your dad was Hokage, doesn't mean I won't kick your ass," Sasuke stood as he challenged Asuma.

"Enough! Both of you. Sasuke, Asuma is right. We can't do anything to anger the West. We need a strong ally and they are the only open line of communication right now. We must do this without fail," Danzo spoke, forcing the Uchiha to sit back down. Though Danzo didn't like it, Asuma had a point. He also didn't like hearing Sasuke talking like he was above everyone. Danzo didn't like anyone else thinking they were above him, the Uchiha included.

"Look. Let's all get some rest. We all had a long journey and tomorrow's a big day for all of us. We can reconvene in the morning," Kurenai said as everyone agreed.

However, on the way out, Sasuke had one more thing to point out.

"I would like it if my future bride and I had a room to ourselves," he said, which nearly made Hinata want to puke.

"No. We made the rooms already. Now go to sleep before I kill you where you stand, Uchiha," Asuma threatened. Sasuke backed down, for now, murmuring that he would make sure Asuma pays for his words later on.

Unfortunately for them, nobody would be getting that much sleep that night.


	9. Filler: Shokugeki no Naruto

Naruto was nervous. He had no idea what he was going to do. The day was rapidly approaching and he still had no plans, no gifts or anything.

Our fearless Emperor was sweating bullets because he had nothing prepared for his one year anniversary. The year had gone by very quickly and he had been so busy, that he almost forgot about it. Luckily, Itachi had reminded him about the date and also of the Unification Festival that they were preparing. It was in less than a week and Naruto started to freak out. It took a while for him to calm down. It took the combined efforts of Kenichi, Miu, Itachi, Jiraiya, Kisame, and Yusuke to calm down the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.

"What am I going to do? I don't know what she's expecting? I don't know what she wants. A present? I don't know what to get her," Naruto was freaking out until he got smacked on the back of the head by Jiraiya.

"Oi Gaki. Relax. I'm sure your wife wouldn't mind a small gift. She knows you've been busy," the Toad Sannin said, unfortunately to no avail.

"But what if she gets me something extravagant? She used to be a princess for goodness sake. What kind of Emperor would I be if I don't give my wife a huge gift? Wouldn't it make me look cheap? Plus, don't you think she'll be disappointed if I don't do something big for our one year?!" Naruto said, shaking at the thought of his angry wife.

"I'm sure whatever you do, she will appreciate Naruto," Itachi added.

"Or you know, she could divorce you and never want to see you again because you messed up your one year of marriage" Kisame joked, laughing so hard. Watching the young Emperor stressing over an anniversary gift brought him great amusement. Unfortunately for him, that amusement wouldn't last long as he was smacked in the back of the head by Miu.

"Kisame! Don't say that type of stuff to him right now. Look. You've made him worse," Miu said, as Naruto appeared to be hyperventilating now.

"Ano, Naruto. Why don't you just ask her family members? They know her well, maybe they can help give you an idea," Kenichi suggested. Naruto pondered the thought for a bit. The more he thought of it, the better the idea sounded.

"You're right Kenichi. Thanks, guys! I'll do that," and he rushed out in a hurry. The rest of the group could only shake their heads. Though he was one of the strongest in the West, Naruto was still oblivious to the obvious things.

"So….who do you guys think the next Empress would be if Euphemia really does divorce him?" Kisame whispered, which got him another smack from Miu, Itachi, and Kenichi.

**Emperor's Office**

Naruto rushed to his office to try and find a Britannia family member and this was the first place to look. He found Lelouch sitting down at his desk, looking over some documents for the Unification Festival. Naruto had appointed Lelouch his personal advisor on top of being one of his generals. This was a position his brother-in-law took very seriously. Especially with Naruto not liking to read over the boring stuff, Lelouch took it upon himself to do it for Naruto and make a simpler report for him to read and approve of. Though he found it ridiculous work and childish, Lelouch was extremely loyal to Naruto and would do anything for him. Naruto at least deserved that much.

Naruto entered, panting heavily as Lelouch looked up to see his brother-in-law. He was always amused at Naruto and his timely entrances.

"You know, if you needed to find me, you could've just used the Kunai right?" Lelouch said, pointing to the kunai on Naruto's desk. Naruto sheepishly grinned, hand on the back of his head in embarrassment.

"I forgot."

"What can I do for you brother? I'm busy finishing up the reports for you," Lelouch said, his head looking up from the stack of paper on his desk at his brother.

"Um, I know this might be a small thing to ask of you, but could you tell me wha-," Naruto began.

"What Euphemia's interests are? Because your anniversary is coming up soon and you haven't figured out a gift or what to do for her?" Lelouch cut him off, a sly grin appearing over his face as Naruto only got more embarrassed. The only response he could give was a head nod in confirmation.

"Well, I can't help you on that one, brother. I would suggest finding Cornelia or Nunnally for some advice. I'm sure they know her much better than I do," Lelouch said, causing Naruto to lower his head in disappointment. He apologized for interrupting him and went back out the door and closed it. Lelouch could only shake his head as he went back to finishing his reports. Though he loved his brother-in-law, he was very clueless at times.

Then another knock was heard at his door. Lelouch huffed this time, getting a little irritated now at Naruto's antics.

"Naruto I told you, go and ask…." he started before he looked up and saw the person who knocked wasn't Naruto this time. Euphemia peeked her head into the office now, checking to see if the coast was clear and it was only her and her brother in the room.

"Sorry, Lelouch. I know your busy, but I had a favor to ask," she said as she entered.

"What can I do for you Euphie?" Lelouch said, a bit thrown off. It was rare for Euphemia to visit him during office hours.

"I was hoping you could help me with something. It's okay if you're busy, but um," she started before her brother raised a hand to tell her to stop.

"Is this about Naruto and your upcoming anniversary," he said which stunned the Empress. She nodded her head in confirmation.

Lelouch huffed again. What was it with these two? He loved both of them, but he began to wonder if they knew anything about each other.

"I would suggest you ask his friends, Euphie. They know him better than I, but I will say, I'm sure he'll appreciate anything you do for him. He's easy to please you know," Lelouch said as his sister gave a smile of thanks.

"Thanks, Lelouch, sorry to have bothered you," Euphemia said as she exited and closed the door behind her. Lelouch sat back down at his desk shaking his head.

"Our country is doomed," he thought jokingly and went back to work.

**With Naruto**

Naruto made his way through the Capital, trying to find either of his sisters-in-law. Though he didn't know it at the moment, neither sister was available at the moment. Cornelia was overseeing an air force training mission while Nunnally was covering for Euphemia and was in civilian hearings all day.

Luckily for Naruto, he found someone that could possibly help him with his current situation. He saw his private chef, Yukihira Soma, loading up some ingredients onto a cart. The young chef had just bought some things from the marketplace and was preparing to take them back to the Emperor's Palace. The redhead chef didn't notice until the Emperor had come up beside him and was helping him place some of the food onto the cart.

"Oh, Boss! Didn't see you there. I hope you're in the mood for some Mapo Tofu tonight! I think I've finally perfected this time," the upbeat chef said, causing Naruto's mouth to salivate a little bit.

Soma wasn't exactly Naruto's private chef, but he did cook often for him. The red-headed chef took it upon himself to expose the Emperor to other foods besides ramen and would cook different things for him. Soma was also trying to make sure that he was one step ahead of his wife, Nakiri Erina, who also cooked for the Emperor and his wife on occasions. Soma owned Yukihira's, his family restaurant which was located on Restaurant Row, where his dad and wife also worked.

Naruto started to enjoy Soma's cooking so much, that he would sometimes request for Soma to cook meals for him and the rest of his family. Soma of course, accepted the request without fail. Of course, Euphemia also liked Erina's cooking, and she would get requested as well. It started to become a friendly competition between husband and wife, to see which dishes the Emperor and Empress liked better for the week. Sometimes it would be Soma's and sometimes it would be Erina's.

Naruto decided to help Soma out and carry some of the ingredients back to the Palace. As they walked, both were greeted by many people who were also busily shopping about in the Marketplace District. Soma was also somewhat of a popular figure in the West, his cooking considered to be transcendent and was only rivaled by Sanji, who was his boss. Soma had started a bit of a competition with Sanji as well, though he still hadn't been able to earn a win yet.

"You're getting even more popular than the last time," Naruto said, as he saw the redhead not use to the attention yet.

"I think it's because I'm walking with the Emperor," Soma responded as Naruto could only laugh at his remark.

"So you guys are going to be busy next week huh? With the Festival and everything going on," Naruto asked which got him a confirmation head nod from Soma.

"Yup, I already know that Yukihira's is going to be crazy busy. I'm just hoping I can spend some time with my wife and enjoy the Festival, too," Soma answered.

"Well, I'll make sure that you and your wife can switch out with Komatsu or some of your friends from time to time. I'm sure Sanji won't mind doing double duty either. The staff you guys put together is insane," Naruto said which got him a chuckle from Soma.

"I guess. Speaking of wives, what are you going to do for Euphemia for your anniversary?" Soma asked, causing Naruto to panic a bit again.

"Ah shit. That's what I was doing. To be honest, I have no idea. I totally forgot about it until I was reminded this morning. I was trying to look for her sisters and ask for help, but I couldn't seem to find them," Naruto said, as Soma noticed the change in his boss's voice.

"Well, why don't you cook for her? That's one way to a woman's heart, through her stomach. At least, that's what I did with Erina," Soma said explained.

"But that's the thing. I can't cook. At least for you, you've grown up doing it. I've lived on instant ramen and Ichiraku's for most of my life," Naruto said which gave Soma an idea.

"Well, why don't I teach you? The dishes your wife likes are pretty simple to make. At least she doesn't want a double-decker 88% cacao chocolate cake with sugar pieces and a raspberry filling inside like Erina wanted this past year. I barely finished it and she said it was passable. I was ordered to redo it again next year or else and I don't want to find out what the or else means," Soma said, shivering at his wife's words.

"Well, I guess the stuff she likes is pretty simple to make, do you think you could help me out? I mean, I guess making her dinner would be a nice touch. Then I would just have to figure out a gift I guess," Naruto pondered.

"Of course! She likes the Mapo tofu I made last week so I'm making it again. However, I would suggest treating her to breakfast, lunch, and dinner so we should get started right away!" Soma said, fire burning in his eyes as he looked to complete his next challenge. "Onward boss! We have work to do!" as he sped away with the cart and Naruto ran with the ingredients in his hand to catch up.

**With Euphemia**

Unlike Naruto, Euphemia had no luck. She had met with Itachi, Kisame, Jiraiya, Saitama, and even everyone from Ryozanpaku, but they were no help. They explained to her that Naruto was a very hard person to get a gift for because he didn't really want anything. He only wanted orange clothes or ramen, which wasn't very special. They all mentioned that he was easy to please though and that anything she got him or did for him he would love. However, Euphemia was unsure of the idea.

She was walking to the marketplace when she saw Soma and her husband racing back to the Palace. The two didn't notice her, but she was very amused at the sight of her husband and Soma racing back with determined looks on their faces. When she reached the marketplace, she bumped into Erina, who was out shopping for more ingredients.

"Oh Empress-sama, it's good to see you out and about," Erina said as she bowed politely to Euphemia.

"It's nice to see you too, Erina. Buying more ingredients for the restaurant?" She asked, noticing the four large bags Erina was carrying.

"Yes. Unfortunately, my idiot husband forgot to stock up yesterday. So he left me to do all of it while he cooks for you and your family tonight," Erina responded, fuming a bit at the thought of Soma leaving her a note that they needed to restock ingredients.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Funny you mention your husband, I just saw him with my husband racing their way back to the Palace. They looked like they were in a hurry," Euphemia said which wasn't a surprise to Erina.

"To be honest, I'm not surprised by anything that man does anymore. Though, I guess that's what so appealing about him," Erina said, a small smile creeping on her face.

"Would you like some help, Erina? You seem to have your hands quite full," Euphemia asked.

"That's okay, Empress-sama. I got a handle on things," she said, though she was struggling a bit with the weight of the bags.

"Nonsense. I can see you struggling a bit. Here let me help you," Euphemia said as she took two of the bags out of Erina's hands. The God Tongue thanked her and talked with her as they made their way back to the restaurant.

"So, I remembered your anniversary is coming up soon. Have you gotten anything for Emperor-sama yet?" Erina asked, causing Euphemia to frown a bit.

"Unfortunately, no I haven't yet. It's been so busy this past year, that I haven't had a chance to. Plus, with him it's very hard to get him gifts," Euphemia answered.

"I'm sure he'll like whatever you get him. He seems easy to please. I mean, he would probably appreciate a bowl of ramen if anything," Erina joked, eliciting laughter from both women.

"I know, but I feel like ramen is so easy. I feel like if I were to do that, I would need to spice it up a bit," Euphemia said as she pondered the thought of ramen. At this point, anything would do.

"Well, you could always make him a special type of ramen for your anniversary. Just make a lot of it, since he will devour it all easily," Erina responded.

"That's also the thing though. I don't know how to cook. It's something I've never learned how to do," Euphemia said in disappointment.

"Well, I could teach you. I have plenty of time to do that for now. I'll help you make him ramen that will make him fall in love with you over and over again," Erina said a smile on her face.

"If it's no trouble, would you be able to? I would really appreciate that, Erina."

"Of course it's no trouble. Come with me, we have much to prepare," Erina said as the two women continued to the restaurant.

**One Week Later**

The day had finally come. It was their anniversary day and both Naruto and Euphemia were still sleeping in bed. Both were dead tired, having worked hard this past week learning how to cook. Soma had taught Naruto how to make three different dishes for the three different meals of the day. Erina also taught Euphemia different ways she could make ramen for Naruto and for each meal of the day. Ironically, though both couples had the same ideas, neither knew of the other's intentions.

When Naruto finally awoke, he saw Euphemia was still sleeping. He leaned over to her and nibbled on her neck a bit. She stirred a bit, turning to face him but her eyes still closed. She was so tired.

"Happy Anniversary, Euphie," Naruto said as the Empress found the strength to open her eyes a bit.

"Happy Anniversary, Dear," she said as she cupped his cheek and kissed him on the lips. They stayed in bed for a few more minutes, enjoying each other's presence. It was time to wake up, both had an announcement to make.

"So I have a special day planned for you," they both said in unison, caught off guard a bit at the other.

"No you go first, Euphie," Naruto said.

"Well, I was planning on cooking your breakfast today. Actually I was planning on cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner today," Euphemia said, shocking Naruto a bit.

"That's funny, I was planning on cooking you breakfast, lunch, and dinner today as well," Naruto said, to Euphemia's amazement.

"Um well, I would like to cook today. Seeing as though this is kind of like my anniversary gift to you," she said.

"Well, I was going to do that, too. I thought this could be my anniversary gift to you," Naruto responded.

They were both getting a little irritated at the idea. They both were going to cook for the other, but they wanted it to be a special gesture and not something that was copying the other. They started to get into an argument about it.

"I'm the one that should cook as a gift. I thought of the idea first!" Naruto said as Euphemia shook her head.

"No, I said it first. Besides, do you even know how to cook?" Euphemia argued making Naruto shake his head.

"I could ask you the same question. I've never seen you cook before either," Naruto argued back.

"I obviously can cook. You're so easy to cook for anyways. I bet you would just want ramen, ramen, ramen," Euphemia said.

"Pssh, I'm not that easy-ttebayo. I can eat other things, too! I'm not just a one-trick pony anymore. Besides, I know I can cook. I can probably cook better than you!" Naruto responded, making Euphemia a bit mad.

"Oh yeah? I would like to see you try Naruto. I had a great teacher and she said I was a quick learner. She said I could probably be one of her disciples if I actually wanted," Euphemia quipped back.

"Oh yeah? I learned how to cook after a few days. You do realize you can't beat me? I have my Kage Bunshin to help me. I can make thousands of them. I can skill up much faster than you. So try me, Euphie," Naruto said. He had just crossed the line.

"Fine! You put this on yourself Naruto. We will see who is the better cook!" Euphemia said as she walked out of the room and called for Walter. She said something to him and he ran off quickly. She then went into the bathroom to get ready. She gave Naruto one last look before she slammed the door.

**20 Minutes Later**

Soma and Erina were at the Palace doors. They had gotten word that they had been summoned by both the Emperor and Empress. Though they had been summoned before, they felt a bit uneasy on this visit. Something in the air didn't feel right, even the usually easy going Soma felt a bit nervous. As the doors opened, Walter brought the two to the kitchen, where Naruto and Euphemia were waiting for them, sitting across a table from each other.

Soma and Erina didn't know what was going on until the Emperor and Empress explained the invitation.

"Erina, would you please explain to my husband that I'm obviously the better chef than him. You said so yourself that I could be your disciple and be a great chef in my own right," Euphemia started as she looked at Erina.

"Soma would you please explain to Euphie that I'm the better chef. You said that I mastered all the necessary skills to become an absolutely great chef and one of the best ever," Naruto said, looking at the redhead.

Both Soma and Erina were a bit shocked. They didn't know what to say about any of this. Neither had actually known that they were each helping the Emperor or Empress with their cooking skills. They were getting so busy that it never became a topic of discussion. They felt a little embarrassed and guilty that they were causing a lovers quarrel, on an anniversary date no less.

"Look, I know both Soma and I said those things about you two, but I do believe that you two are both great chefs. I think you guys should just accept that fact," Erina said, trying to calm down the situation.

"No!" was the loud reply she got.

"I guess there's only one way to settle this then," Soma said as all parties in the room were intrigued.

"Shokugeki."

Both Euphemia and Naruto were amused at the idea. Soma started to explain the rules to the both of them. When he was finished, in a flash, both Naruto and Euphemia were ready at their stations on opposite sides of the kitchen. The kitchen was unusually large, and both took advantage to have a station away from the other.

"We don't have any judges though?" Soma started as it was a bit of a problem. All occupants were out of the house after hearing the couple quarreling earlier. They did not want to be a part of it whatsoever. Soma and Erina decided they would have to judge for now. They tried to get Walter to be a third judge, but he refused, citing his neutrality in all matters when it comes to an argument between the Emperor and Empress. While Soma and Erina tried to find a third judge, both Naruto and Euphemia started to prep their ingredients.

"Are you sure you both want to do this?" Erina asked, hoping they would reconsider. Both Naruto and Euphemia nodded their heads. With a loud huff, Erina let them begin.

Both Emperor and Empress started preparing their separate dishes. There was no theme for this Shokugeki. The winner got the right to cook as an anniversary gift. Since neither prepared another gift, one would get the small end of the stick and forever be shamed for it.

Naruto started to grill some Canadian Bacon in a pan while he waited for an egg to poach. He was going to make Eggs Benedict. Euphemia had expressed delight in Erina's Eggs Benedict that she made for them during breakfast one day. Euphemia reminisced about how she used to eat the dish all the time when she was little. She loved poached eggs as well and would eat it any time she could. Euphemia also had talked about it non-stop for a week so Naruto felt it was up his alley to do that. He knew that Soma would definitely approve of this and his out of the box approach to the dish.

Euphemia, on the other hand, decided on making a special chashu pork ramen. It was Naruto's favorite and Erina had helped her prepare the dish to add even more flavor that Naruto would be used to. She used every technique that Erina taught her, even adding a special truffle into the broth to make it more powerful. She knew that Erina would definitely approve of her dish.

As the two were finishing up, Soma and Erina were amazed at the techniques that they were using. Even though it was only a week, Naruto and Euphemia were quick learners. Within no time, their dishes were prepared and presented for tasting. Neither realized that the dishes they made were something they had expressed to make for the other.

Soma and Erina ate Euphemia's Special Truffle Chashu Ramen first. As expected, the truffle broth was very powerful and accentuated the flavors of the chashu pork. It also had a powerful aroma that hit Soma and Erina's senses immediately.

They then moved on to Naruto's Eggs Benedict. Though it looked like a normal eggs benedict, Naruto added one more component to it. He added a crispy vegetable croquette underneath the Canadian bacon instead of an English muffin. The crunch and the runny eggs made powerful flavors combine with each other in harmony.

All in all, both Soma and Euphemia were pleased with the two dishes. There wasn't one thing that made one better than the other, but both Emperor and Empress pressed them for an evaluation. The two legendary chefs were a bit nervous. If they chose one over the other, then there will most likely be a grudge held against them. If they didn't choose the person they helped, it would be seen as a betrayal. So naturally, they did what they needed. They chose the person that they helped and would be done with it.

"That means it's a tie!" Naruto yelled as Soma and Erina nodded their heads in confirmation.

"No way! There has to be a winner!" Euphemia shouted. Soma and Erina were stuck between a rock and a hard place. They had to get out fast, or they definitely wouldn't make it to the end of the day.

Just then, Walter brought in their saving grace. Joichiro walked in, his trademark grin on his face as he looked upon the scene.

"Well, well we seem to have a bit of a dilemma here. Emperor-sama, Empress-sama," Joichiro said as he bowed slightly and took a seat.

"Geez, where have you been, old man? We called you like an hour ago," Soma yelled at his father who just waved him off.

Joichiro sat down and brought Naruto's dish closer to him. He tried it and nodded his head, liking the mix of flavors. He then tried Euphemia's ramen and noticed the lingering smell and taste of truffles. She had managed to make it work with the pork, which was no small feat. As he put his chopsticks down, he pondered a bit on his decision. Everyone, even Walter looked at him intently, seeing who he would choose as the winner.

"I've made a decision," Joichiro said, as silence filled the room. Everyone held their breath.

"It's a tie," he announced which caused the room to go into a frenzy.

"No way! I definitely won. Isn't that right Soma?" Naruto said as Soma shrugged.

"No, it was definitely me! Right, Erina?" Euphemia said to which the God Tongue did the same as her husband.

All they heard was laughter coming from Joichiro, who was enjoying the scene. He stood up and held a hand up to explain his made this decision. Everyone decided to listen.

"I've made this decision because, it's evident that you two were cooking for each other," he started as Naruto and Euphemia looked at him with a wondering look.

"Emperor-dono, you made sure to cook something that your wife would have loved no matter how you prepared it. I remember her talking about her fondness of Eggs Benedict, and you cooked it to perfection. This dish would have made her beg you to make more for her. On the flip side, Empress-sama, you made your husband's favorite dish. Not only his favorite dish, but also his favorite style of ramen. You added to it, to make it more flavorful. I'm sure without a doubt he would've requested ten more bowls of this," he said as Naruto and Euphemia looked at the other.

"The secret to becoming a great chef is finding someone that will make you want to give all of your cooking to. You see, I tried to impart these wise words to my son once when he was younger. He hung up on me, but I eventually told him later on. You both cooked something with the other in mind. You wanted to make something special for them, not only because it would taste good, but also because it held a special meaning for the other. Even despite your fights and arguments, your love for each other is still self-evident in your cooking. That is why, it is a tie. Because you both put in the effort to make something for the other," he finished as Naruto and Euphemia blushed a bit.

"Well, I guess it doesn't hurt to try this ramen," Naruto said as he approached the bowl. Euphemia did the same to the plate of eggs benedict.

When they each tried the other dishes, they saw the hard work that the other had to put in to make this dish. It also brought them back to their wedding day. After all of the blood, sweat, and tears they had to go through during the war, they now saw the happiness that came with peace. They saw how they completed each other and how much their love has grown since then.

Naruto and Euphemia embraced each other. They now knew how stupid it was to argue and fight over something so minor. Naruto gave Euphemia a strong kiss, which was the signal for everyone else to leave.

"Thank you guys, for giving us a great first anniversary gift," Naruto said, as the rest gave them a loving look before they took their leave.

"And thank you, my beautiful wife. For giving me the best first year of marriage I could ever ask for," Naruto said as he pecked his wife on the lips.

"Thank you, my loving husband, for making me the happiest woman in the world with your love and protection," Euphemia said, pulling Naruto in for a longer kiss.

"I think we can cook a little later. I have a different anniversary gift for you," Naruto said as a Kage Bunshin popped out of nowhere with a sly grin on its face. Euphemia could only blush.

"I can't wait," she said as they made their way back up to their bedroom.

**Yukihira Residence**

Soma and Erina were lying in bed, cuddling close with each other. They felt a bit bad but happy that the Emperor and Empress had worked out their differences.

"I think I saw my life flash before my eyes today," Soma said as Erina giggled a bit.

"I think we both did. Though I'm glad it all worked out in the end," Erina said, as she played with her husband's chest.

"I'm surprised though, at how much those two improved over the last week. I mean I could see Naruto because he has all his clones and stuff, but Euphemia, I didn't know she had it in her," Soma said, which got him a light tap on the nose from his wife.

"Of course she's a quick learner! She's royalty after all. You know, if I had someone like her when we were at Totsuki, I definitely would've destroyed you," she said causing Soma to laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. But you know I would've just kept coming back for more," Soma grinned as his wife did the same.

"That you would have. I would have fallen for you regardless, I guess," the God Tongue said in defeat, her hand starting to linger down to Soma's crotch.

"Anyways, seeing them today got me excited about starting up Shokugeki's again. Gotta get the band back together and duel it out," Soma said excitedly, not noticing his wife had already removed his boxers.

"Well, we can do that another day, Soma-kun. Right now, I'm in the mood for a different type of Shokugeki," Erina replied slyly, as she slid her way down to the end of the bed. Soma definitely was going to have to do everything he could to win this one.


	10. Day 3: The Return of the Dead Last

**A/N: After a nice, funny filler, we now get back to our scheduled story.**

**The Next Morning**

All of the Konoha shinobi were given a nice wake up call at 7 am. Asuma, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Neji, and Lee all had red eyes from the lack of sleep they had. They were way too nervous to be getting any sleep and got an hour at the most. The females were a little bit more fortunate but were equally as tired. The girls had just fallen into their deep sleep when the knock came at their door. Danzo, Sai, and Sasuke seemed unfazed by the lack of sleep and were already waiting for the others in the lobby of the hotel. There, Kenpachi and Yachiru were waiting for them, amused by the Konoha shinobi's appearance.

"They all look like shit. So much for a good night's rest. Naruto's gonna eat them alive," Kenpachi thought, while Yachiru was humming about the dango Kenpachi promised her when they were done with their assignment. After a few minutes, everyone had come down from their rooms and were slightly prepared to start their day.

"Well I hope our accommodations were adequate enough for you guys, though, it looks like you all could use a few more hours of sleep," Kenpachi said, chuckling at the sight.

"Our accommodations were perfect, Kenpachi-san. It just seems like the meeting with the Emperor has made us a bit restless," Asuma responded, as Kenpachi just nodded in understanding.

"Why the hell are we waking up so early anyway? The sun is barely rising," Kiba interjected and was whacked on the back of the head by Kurenai for his tone.

"You all expressed interest in our Festival, so we wanted you to be able to experience as much of it as possible. Seeing as though you'll be meeting the Emperor, later on, you won't have much time to do a lot of the fun stuff," Kenpachi said. "You also probably won't be alive at the end of the day either," Yachiru mumbled, though the Konoha shinobi didn't hear her.

"So if there are no more complaints, let's get a move on," he said as he started to walk towards the exit as the Konoha group followed.

Kenpachi and Yachiru gave the shinobi a quick tour of the entire grounds of the Festival. They explained Restaurant Row, the different amusement rides, the games, the shops, and the entertainment. The Konoha group, even Danzo, Sasuke, and Sai, were amazed at the great size of the city and all of the things they were able to do. Not to mention the crowds of people enjoying the Festival, even this early in the morning.

"Now, we will let you off to do as you please. Obviously, don't do anything stupid since you have your upcoming appointment with the Emperor around noon. We will round all of you up before then and escort you to the Palace. So I hope you all enjoy yourselves and savor it while it lasts," Kenpachi said, as he and Yachiru walked off into the crowd. The Konoha shinobi dispersed very quickly.

Choji made a quick dash for Restaurant Row, with Shikamaru, Kiba, and Shino behind him trying to catch up. Neji and Lee decided to venture off and take in some of the sights while looking for some signs of Naruto. Ino and Tenten decided to go shopping for some omiyage that they could bring home. Asuma and Kurenai decided to have a little date, walking around and taking in the scenery of the beautiful city. Danzo, Sai, and Sasuke decided to sit in one of the shaded areas and wait until it was time to meet the Emperor. They didn't want to deal with the citizens of the West, though Danzo was observing with his Sharingan, the different power levels of people that would walk past them from time to time. He thought about maybe finding a few strong enough that he could use as spies here in the West, just so he could fully scout how powerful they were.

Meanwhile, Hinata wandered off at her own pace to Restaurant Row, looking to hopefully get a seat at Ichiraku's and maybe talk to Ayame or Teuchi to see if maybe Naruto was in the West. Both Ayame and Teuchi were the only ones, besides Kurenai, that she could talk to about Naruto. The father and daughter never hated Hinata, knowing of the girl's obvious affections for the young blonde. They would sometimes close Ichiraku, just so the three could talk and reminisce about him. Hinata was sad when Teuchi and Ayame closed up shop in Konoha to head West, but they told her that they would let her know if Naruto just so happened to be there.

The guys found a nice BBQ restaurant that served all you can eat. As they took a seat, they noticed another group of people sitting a few tables down from them. They noticed a skinny boy with a straw hat on, demolishing thick pieces of meat at blazing speeds. He ate faster than Choji, even though the boy looked like he was half the size of the Akimichi. They noticed the boy's companions, didn't seem to mind it one bit.

Once they were done, they ventured off and eventually met up with Neji and Lee, who were playing some of the games that were offered on one of the streets. They immediately made their way to a shuriken throwing game. This would be easy for all of them, considering they were shinobi and a shuriken was a basic weapon. Each passed with flying colors, except Kiba, who had three chances and couldn't make any of the shurikens stick to the wooden target. This generated laughs from the rest of the guys and a few other civilians watching.

Hinata managed to get into Ichiraku's, much to the surprise of both Teuchi and Ayame. They seated her immediately at the counter and wondered what she was doing here. She explained her mission to them, to which the father and daughter looked at her with some concern. They served her ramen quickly and told her to stay in the restaurant. Ayame dashed away for a period of time and came back with a warm smile on her face. She whispered to her father something, which also led him to have a smile. When Hinata asked what was up, both Teuchi and Ayame made sure to let the kunoichi know that everything was alright and to not worry. They took their break and talked to her about everything that had happened since they left. Hinata also wanted to know about Naruto, but father and daughter made sure to let her know that he was safe and in the West. They said that she may run into him during the duration of her stay, which made the Hyuuga perk up a bit and blush.

Asuma and Kurenai decided that they would do some games and then eat. Asuma managed to win a red teddy bear for Kurenai in the shuriken throwing game. They were going to make their way to Ichiraku when they noticed that the line was nearly out the door. They didn't have enough time to wait, so decided on a bento from none other than Yukihira's, at the suggestion of a regular civilian. Though the bento looked ordinary, it was a life changing experience for the couple, who were nearly stripped of all their clothes after the first bite. Once they had garnered an alliance with the West, they would have to come back to try it again.

Eventually, the time to meet with the Emperor came. The Konoha group was having so much fun, that they almost forgot why they were there in the first place. The group was eventually rounded up by Kenpachi and Yachiru, and their cheery demeanor turned to nervousness as they made their way to the Palace. This was a very important mission, one that would decide the future of Konoha as they knew it. They had to succeed without fail.

As the group made their way to the Palace, Walter greeted them at the entrance and had the group follow him. They made their way through the large Palace, and to the entrance of the throne room. Walter allowed Kenpachi and Yachiru to go, seeing as though they were done with their assignment. Yachiru cheered as she nagged Kenpachi for the dango he promised her. Once they had left, Walter turned to the group,

"The Empress is waiting for you. She is just through this door, are you all ready?" he asked, which greatly confused everyone in the group.

"The Empress? I thought we were meeting with the Emperor?" Asuma said, which caused the butler to chuckle a bit.

"Nobody told you I see. Well, the Emperor had something to take care of so he won't be meeting with you. The Empress also deals with matters when it comes to alliances and treaties, so you would've had to go through her anyways. If I were you, I would want to do business with the Empress. She is much kinder and compassionate compared to the Emperor. So please, if you would follow me and don't do anything rash," Walter said as he opened the doors and led the group into the throne room.

The room was very large, both width and height wise, with four sets of pillars on each side of the room, but also very bare. There was only a single red carpet with gold accents on it that led to the Emperor and Empress seats. One seat was empty while Euphemia sat in the other seat. Her Special Guard members Akame, Android 18, Kagura and Erza Scarlet stood on the sides of the room, watching intently as the Konoha group made their entrance. They were particularly on guard for this one, knowing full well the stories of the people from Konoha.

The entire Konoha group, even the females, noticed her beauty immediately. Both Kiba and Sasuke nearly drooled on the floor when they saw her, noting that none of the women in Konoha could compare to her. Euphemia had a stoic face on, noticing the looks she was getting from the entire group.

"I can't wait to see their faces after he appears," she thought as her mind wandered to what her husband was currently doing.

**With Naruto**

He was waiting patiently in his chambers for them. He watched outside his window and saw that Walter was bringing them to the throne room. It was now his time. His special guard with him, along with Itachi and Jiraiya. All three former Konoha residents donned their masks, as they made their way to the throne room.

"You ready for this, gaki?" Jiraiya asked as he put his toad mask on.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Naruto replied, his tengu mask already on.

"No matter what happens, we will all have your back, Naruto," Itachi replied, as he put on his cat mask, similar to the one he used during his anbu days.

"Thanks. Now let's do this," he said as the group made their way through the palace.

**Throne Room**

Walter brought the Konoha group near the steps and bowed before the Empress.

"Empress-sama, I present to you the Konoha entourage led by Sarutobi Asuma," he said as the rest of the Konoha group bowed.

"Thank you, Walter. So, what can the West do for the village of Konoha today?" Euphemia asked as Asuma lifted his head to speak.

"Empress-sama, our village comes to you in a time where war is brewing. We are currently outnumbered and outmatched nearly 3-to-1. We have no allies, and will most definitely be destroyed if we try to fight in our condition. We come here, with an offer of an alliance between our two nations, so that we may fight off our enemies and preserve our village and its rich history," Asuma said.

"You come here for an alliance? What can you offer us that will make this alliance beneficial for both of us?" Euphemia asked.

"Our village has many S-rank jutsu that is extremely valuable to anyone who possesses them. We have a strong military that can be beneficial and can help you in a time of need. Also, we do have some items that we can trade with you at a reduced price," he answered, knowing that he was stretching the truth a bit.

"Hmm, so you have many powerful jutsu and a strong military? What good will that do us?" Euphemia asked with a straight face, though she was certainly amused with the Sarutobi's way of negotiating. "I guess they don't know that I can call bullshit when I see it," the Empress thought.

"Well..uhh-" Asuma stuttered before he was cut off.

"You know, I can see that this is going nowhere and is a huge waste of OUR time. It was stated in the letter that we received that we would be meeting with the Emperor, not his wife. I think it was a mistake in choosing the West as an ally," Danzo said as he stood up, pissed off at the current proceedings.

"You do realize that I am the one that makes the decisions on whether or not the West chooses to be allied with you, right?" Euphemia said as the rest of the group's faces dropped as they heard her words. Unfortunately, it was to no avail.

Danzo just kept going, "I could care less if you make the decisions or not. The fact that the Emperor isn't here tells me he is just a figurehead. He is only Emperor because he is backed by competent people within his control. He probably couldn't even defend himself if challenged. It seems like we won't need you as an ally anyway, seeing as though you have a weak and useless ruler leading you," he said.

"The Emperor must be weak if he allows his wife to make all of the decisions for him. In fact, he's probably fooling around right now with some whore. He obviously doesn't appreciate you're fine qualities at all. Though, if you were to come with me, I can see you and I could make powerful offspring. Doesn't that sound like a good idea, Empress?" the Uchiha added, as Euphemia balled her hand into a fist. She was fuming. Not only had these two idiots insulted her, but also insulted her husband, calling him weak and a cheater. She would not stand this one bit.

"That's it! Because of the two of you, Konoha will definitely not get an alliance with the West," she said, the anger evident in her voice. The others in the Konoha group just dropped their heads. Surely Konoha would fall. Unfortunately for them, the worst was still to come.

"Well, if we won't get an alliance, I would like to challenge for the title of Emperor. I'm sure you wouldn't mind me being your new husband, Empress. As you can see, I'm obviously an elite and would outclass your husband in every way possible," Sasuke said. Before Euphemia could speak, the doors to the throne room swung open, as a new group walked in.

"Who dares to interrupt our meeting," Danzo said, staring at the head of the new group.

"I dare," Naruto said, flanked by his special guard plus a disguised Itachi and Jiraiya. He had been listening behind the door. The anger was building inside of him, as he heard both Danzo and Sasuke insult not only him but also his wife.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Sasuke yelled, Sharingan activated and ready to fight.

"The Emperor," Naruto stated. Both Danzo and Sasuke were intrigued and backed down. The rest of the Konoha group, however, knew they were done for. It was over. They would most likely all be killed by the Emperor now because of Danzo and Sasuke. As they bowed before him, they were praying to kami that somehow, maybe the Emperor would overturn his wife's decision and hear them out. Everyone bowed, except Danzo and Sasuke.

"Does our floor not treat your knees well? You should get that checked out," the Emperor chuckled at his joke, but Sasuke didn't back down.

"I challenge you, Emperor, for your throne and your wife. Accept, or die where you stand," Sasuke said, preparing his Chidori. Unfortunately for him, he was immediately surrounded by a number of swords at his neck, preparing to behead him at any time. Zoro, Akame, Erza, Jin, and Mugen sprung into action at the Uchiha's threat. The Konoha group didn't even see them move, only as they appeared surrounding Sasuke. All of the swords made slight contact with the Uchiha's skin, causing some blood to trickle from his neck on all sides. His Sharingan was turned off immediately.

Naruto was just very amused at this, "Still the same old Uchiha, I see," he thought as he made his way to his wife. He whispered into her ear, apologizing for making her go through this. He said he would make it up to her afterward.

"So, I remember you all wanted an alliance, am I right?" he asked, as a flash of hope arose for the Konoha group. Maybe, the Emperor would be a bit forgiving.

"Dear, I was just telling them that they would not get any alliance with us, due to the actions of those two," Euphemia said as she pointed in the direction of Danzo and a still surrounded Sasuke.

"Now, now Euphie, two idiots do not reflect the entire group. I would like to hear them out," The Emperor said, putting a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. She huffed, knowing all too well where he was going with this. "As my wife was asking Sarutobi, what can Konoha offer us that we don't already have in the West?" Naruto asked as Asuma, rose to speak.

"We have the Will of Fire that burns within our village. It is our motto to never give up, and even though we may be down, we are never out of a fight. We always do our best to uphold our standards as model shinobi, and only wish for peace in our village," Asuma said, as Naruto was amused at this answer. "How hypocritical," he thought.

"Interesting. However, one thing just doesn't sit right with me. Your Hokage mentioned to me that you currently have no allies. Why is that? I mean, a powerful village like yours must have some allies at least. Other villages must want to go to you for protection, am I right?" Naruto asked.

Before Asuma could answer, Danzo interjected, "Because they are weak and are useless to us. They would only get in the way. Also, if you must know, we lost those alliances due to one Uzumaki Naruto. Because he was a demon, other villages didn't trust us and broke up our alliances. We have heard rumors that he has been here in the West. If he is in your country, you must turn him over to us. He is still a genin of Konohagakure. You wouldn't want someone as weak as him in your ranks anyways. He is a trouble maker and a dead last, he wouldn't do anything to help your country. Besides, I would think you have other pressing matters anyways," He tried to make it all Naruto's fault that the village lost their alliances. Danzo thought the Emperor didn't know any better.

"Hmm. Well, unfortunately, I can't do that. Uzumaki Naruto is a hero here in the West. He helped turned the tide of the war and ushered a new era of peace. He is beloved here by everyone. Plus, he would have to go on his own free will, I will not force him to if he doesn't want to," the Emperor responded calmly, sparking some anger in Danzo, but causing some interests from everyone else.

"You must do so immediately. Regardless if we have an alliance with you or not, this is non-negotiable," Danzo said a bit embarrassed after hearing the Emperor consider Naruto a hero, but it was no matter to him. The Konoha 11 wondered about how Naruto was doing and hoping they could see their friend again.

"What would you do with one Uzumaki Naruto if I turn him over to you?" Euphemia asked.

"He will make sure that we get those alliances back, through any means necessary. He was the cause of us losing them, and we will make sure he gets them back. If he has to die for it, then so be it," Danzo stated bluntly.

The Emperor made it seem like he was pondering over his decision. He took a while, making Danzo grow impatient.

"I've said it once, and I'll say it again. This is non-negotiable. If you were smart, you would do it. Or else you will have to face the consequences," Danzo threatened, angering Naruto to the point where even Kurama was wondering if he would lose control.

"Is that a threat, councilman? Do you threaten me in my own house?" the Emperor said, as he moved closer to the group.

"Please Emperor-sama, though Danzo is a village elder, he does not speak for the Hokage or us. We only want an alliance so that we can keep our place as a major village and have peace. We don't want to have to fight. We just want to be able to fulfill our village founders wishes and keep the Will of Fire alive," Asuma said, as he begged the Emperor on his knees.

Danzo, on the other hand, could care less about the situation anymore. He knew it was his time to lead the village. No one, not the Hokage or any of the council was here to stop him. This was his time in the spotlight.

"It is only a threat if the action is not carried out and I can assure you, Emperor, we will carry it out without fail," Danzo stated in cold blood. This was the last straw for Naruto.

"To be honest, I don't care if you insult me. That I can handle. What I cannot handle, is insults hurled at my own wife and threats to myself and her in our own house. You think you can order me around in my house, surrounded by my people? You claim to be a Major village with a strong military when I know that is far from the truth. You do not possess the Will of Fire that you so claim your village still has. That fire was extinguished the day you banished Uzumaki Naruto for doing his duty as a shinobi of Konohagakure," Naruto said, angry at the threats hailed against him.

"Uzumaki Naruto was banished because he threatened the safety of the shinobi and citizens of Konoha. Now that he is seen as a hero, he is now needed back in his home. You do not want to challenge us, Emperor, for I do not foresee it turning out well for you," Danzo retorted, making Naruto wonder if this senile old man was right in the head.

"You think I'm going to make Uzumaki Naruto return to you after all this time just so you can use him as a pawn in your scheme. Fuck no! He has told me about his childhood, he has told me about the life he lived, he has told me about the people he thought were his friends, but decided to abandon him in his time of need. He told me about how shitty his life in that village was. He is tired of taking orders from senile old men who only want to use him for their own personal greed. My answer is no, you will not get Uzumaki Naruto. For you Sarutobi, you tell your Hokage that my answer to an alliance is no. I do not want to infect my people with this "Will of Fire" that you speak of. It's total and utter bullshit," Naruto responded.

"Unfortunately, all he does is spew lies. He is a demon boy. One who is sly and sneaky and will do anything to get you on his side," Danzo said, sensing the situation was getting away from him.

"I can assure you, he is not lying at all," Naruto stated boldly.

"Prove it." Danzo challenged.

During all of this, Shikamaru was running different scenarios through his head. Not for the scenario of them dying, that seemed like a given already, but the scenario of who the Emperor was underneath the mask. Something just felt familiar about him. Minus the fact that they already fought once. However as he was thinking back to that first fight, the Emperor used the same techniques as the Yondaime, but it couldn't be the Hiraishin, right? He then thought of the other reports that came in from his classmates. How he knew what Kurenai's team would do before they could do it. How he knew of Lee's injuries from before and that they needed somebody special like Tsunade to heal them. How he knocked Neji out using the same technique Naruto did during the Chunin Exams.

Naruto.

"He fit the description. He knew how the other teams worked and the special abilities that the clans had. He had insider knowledge. He looks very similar to the Yondaime. Is that coincidence? He was the one who found Tsunade to help Lee. He defeated Neji using a sneaky technique and with shadow clones. The Emperor confirmed he was in the West," All these thoughts were running through Shikamaru's head at a thousand miles per second when it finally came together.

No.

It couldn't be.

Naruto was done with the charade. Danzo was getting on his nerves and he was sick and tired of all the insults being hurled at him. He took off his mask, giving everybody a good look at his face. No matter how much more mature he looked. It was definitely him. If his whisker marks weren't a dead give away, his bright blue eyes and yellow blonde hair was. Shikamaru was spot on in his prediction and he hated it when he was right.

"Your proof is right in front of you because I lived through every fucking second of it. Do you still want to challenge me, councilman? Because I would kill you in a heartbeat," Naruto said as he transformed into his Kyuubi Chakra Mode. Orange flames coating around his body as even Danzo now got to a knee in shock.

"The Kyuubi. The Demon Brat, he's controlling it," Danzo thought, shocked at these new developments.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata said softly, almost prepared to faint. Everyone else included were ready to faint. Asuma and Kurenai were stunned.

"Dobe, fight me like a man! Release me, so I can finish you off like I should've the first time," Sasuke said as Naruto motioned to the Guard to lower their weapons. They stepped back, allowing Sasuke space to lurch forward at Naruto. However, he was struck in mid-air, as Itachi came in to stop him. Sasuke fell hard, looking up at the stranger who hit him.

"Itachi! I'm going to kill you!" Sasuke screamed but was too weak to move. In fact, all of them were now feeling a bit weak. They felt weak. Like a great weight was upon them that they couldn't get rid of. They couldn't stand if they tried their hardest.

"What did you do to me?" Sasuke asked, barely able to look up at a now maskless Itachi, a maskless Jiraiya and the rest of the Special Guard who were unfazed.

"J-Jiraiya-sama. Please, h-help us. The D-demon Brat is going off the r-rails," Danzo struggled to say, as he was nearly stuck to the floor. Jiraiya just stood there shaking his head, not deeming Danzo worthy enough of even getting a response.

Naruto looked with utter delight at the struggles of the Konoha group, "Fuinjutsu on the floor. I didn't realize how fun it could be to use seals, especially on people you despise. You know, today was actually a test for all of you, and most of you failed miserably. I see that Konoha hasn't changed one bit since my banishment, and most of you haven't either. Isn't this a sight to see? Almost all of the Konoha 11 here today, minus the bitchy fangirl. It's kind of funny when you think about it, huh? The dead last, up here watching all of you suffer. Now you have a little taste of what my entire life has been," Naruto spat, as many of his classmates struggled to say their apologies to him.

"I can feel your feelings. All of you, wanting to apologize to me for your actions from the past. Well, guess what? I do not accept any of them. You know why? Because when I needed you guys the most, you either spewed hatred towards me or didn't say anything at all. And you know what? I found your silence an even greater betrayal. After everything I did for you guys, I nearly went to hell and back, and this is how you repay my effort and kindness. I'm sick and tired of that village trying to use me for its own agenda. I won't stand it any longer. I hope you all rot in hell. Get them out of my sight and take them to the dungeons," Naruto said as he motioned for samurai with chakra sealing handcuffs to enter. They placed them on every Konoha member and the seal on the floor was released.

"You better know what's good for you and release us. You don't wan-," Danzo started before he was silenced with a seal, courtesy of Jiraiya.

"Your village won't dare step foot in my country again. If you do, I will let the Kyuubi finish what he started the day I was born," Naruto said, the anger and vile coming out with every word he spoke. He was beyond mad.

Kiba managed to get loose and try one last act of heroism, or so he thought. He got away from his samurai and he and Akamaru tried their combo attack again. Naruto, shook his head and caught both of them and slammed them into each other, knocking both of them out. He didn't even have to take a step from where he was standing. The samurai picked the two up and stuck the handcuffs back on both of them.

"Anybody else? I can do this all day? You wanna go Teme?" Naruto said as he smirked at Sasuke. He wanted to go, but Itachi was making it difficult to get loose.

"Didn't think so. Take them away," Naruto said.

Hinata, realizing this was possibly her last chance to ever seen Naruto again, used all her might to get away from her escort and kneel herself before Naruto. Zoro and Deku stopped her progress, but Naruto motioned for them to stand down.

"Naruto-kun, I know this is too little, too late, but I've wanted to tell you this for so long now. I just want you to know that I love you. It's always been you, Naruto-kun. I blame myself every day for your banishment and I wish I was strong enough to let you know sooner about how I felt for you. I realize it is too late, and though you may hate me for the rest of your life, I will support every decision you make. Even if it means destroying Konoha and all of us in it, I hope it brings you peace for the life you had to live. We are not people that are worthy of being called your friends. We turned our backs on you and we will always have to live with that, in this life and the next. I hope you do what needs to be done," she finished as everyone in the room stood still, shocked at her speech. Hinata had just confessed to Naruto, in front of his wife as well.

Naruto released his Kyuubi Chakra and kneeled down to get to Hinata's level. He took her hands in his, as she looked up at him, tears flowing from her pale eyes.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan," he said, as he kissed one of her hands and motioned for the samurai guard to escort her back with the others. Naruto pondered on Hinata's confession. Euphemia stood next to her husband, as she placed her hand in his. His palms were sweaty and warm, and she was worried about him. She knew he was thinking because of his face. He was thinking very hard about something.

After a few moments, Naruto squeezed her hand and called out, "Wait," suddenly. The samurai stopped, as everyone else looked at him.

"It seems that maybe I have had a change of heart on this matter. You will not go to the dungeon tonight unless of course, you want to. Due to Hinata's kindness and courage that she has displayed, I have felt that maybe I should display some back. I will offer you all, a chance at redemption," he said as his entire demeanor changed from just a few minutes ago. The samurai brought the Konoha group back before the Emperor.

"You will either accept it or go to the dungeons. Your choice," Naruto said as everyone accepted the offer. Even Danzo, Sai and Sasuke, though Naruto knew it wasn't for redemption. Though Kiba was unconscious, Asuma made sure that he would participate and answered for him.

"Since you all have accepted, your shot at redemption will be with what we do best, fight. Each of you will fight one person from the West. Since we are in the midst of our Unification Festival, we usually hold a fighting exhibition on the last day. However, it seems this year we will change it up a little bit. If even a single one of you wins a match, I will see to it that the West becomes an ally of Konoha. If none of you win, you will spend a night in the dungeons before I release you back to your Hokage. I believe that is adequate enough, isn't it?" Naruto asked calmly, as his former friends thought in the back of their minds that it wasn't fair at all. However, they knew they needed to do this for the village and hope to get back into Naruto's good graces.

They all accepted.

"Perfect. You will have three days to prepare for your matches. All of your matches will take place in the Arena. You will be allowed to use the training fields in the northern part of the Capital. You will be escorted by an armed guard at all times, so don't try anything stupid because we will know, and we will kill you on the spot if you try anything. You will remain in your rooms at the Hotel de Grande. Use your time wisely," Naruto said while Asuma stepped up to speak.

"My wife, she's pregnant. Please don't make her fight Naruto. I know you hate all of us right now, but don't take it out on our unborn child," Asuma pleaded. Naruto thought about what Asuma had said for a few moments before he thought of a great idea.

"So will you let your wife become a single mother? Because if she doesn't fight, you will face off against her opponent as well," Naruto said seriously, no hint of a joke anywhere. Everyone, even Euphemia was a bit shocked at Naruto's attitude towards Asuma.

"I will. Just as long as I know she and our child are safe. I can die peacefully," Asuma responded, which intrigued Naruto. "Hmmm, it looks like your son did inherit some of your traits, Jiji," Naruto thought. Kurenai, on the other hand, looked at Asuma in shock. He was going to risk his life for her and the baby. She was unsure how she felt about that, not knowing if she could parent by herself.

"So be it. She will be confined to a room here in the palace under heavy guard. In the meantime, chop, chop. You all don't have much time to prepare so I wouldn't waste any precious second," Naruto said as he motioned for his samurai guard to take them away. However, he had one last look at a few certain people, Hinata, Shikamaru, Choji, and Asuma. The only ones who didn't manage to fail his test so far. "I'll let them be just for a little bit longer," he thought.

Sasuke on the other hand, couldn't wait for the opportunity. He was going to embarrass Naruto in front of everyone. He thought that once he defeated his opponent, he would make sure to challenge Naruto for the throne of Emperor. In his mind, Sasuke thought that Naruto would accept his challenge and that he would make sure to kill him this time. He totally disregarded Naruto's Kyuubi Chakra as just for show. He would soon find out, however, that the Kyuubi power was no joke.

Once the Konoha group was taken away, Naruto slumped into his seat, tired and weary of what just occurred. He looked like he was about to relax when Euphemia smacked him upside the head.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! You give them a shot at redemption just like that? Just because of some girl? I don't want anything to do with that village whatsoever, Naruto!" She said in anger at her sometimes spontaneous husband. She let him off the hook many times before, but this time he would not be so lucky.

"Ouch! Euphie!" Naruto yelled in pain, grabbing his head.

"I agree with your wife, Gaki. You've stepped over the line on this one. What if they actually win just one match? Will you really hold your end of the bargain? You can't just go do these types of things on the fly. We had a plan, one that you thought out very brilliantly I might add, and we were following that plan to the letter. This could now throw a huge wrench in all of it," Jiraiya said, chastising his godson. Everything they worked hard for could end at the end of the week due to Naruto's randomness.

When Naruto recovered, he stood up quickly. He looked at the remaining people in the throne room. His wife, Jiraiya, and Itachi. He looked all of them straight in the eye, gaging them.

"You all still have my back right?" he asked, causing the other three to look at each other before looking back at him and nodding nervously.

"Then you have to trust me on this," Naruto replied, as another one of his audibles would be called into play here.


	11. Day 7: Fighting for an Alliance

**Later that Evening**

After the events earlier in the day, Naruto needed to get some rest. He barely slept the previous night and all the adrenaline he had when he met the Konoha group was now gone. He was very tired, to say the least. Euphemia made sure that he got some sleep in, knowing full well that the next few days were going to be even more challenging than today.

Naruto was sleeping in his bed when a knock at his door awoke him. He looked outside and realized that it was night now. The moon was shining high up in the night sky. As he got out of his bed, Naruto looked out his window. He saw the Festival was still ongoing, seeing huge crowds still wandering the streets of the Capital. This gave him a soft smile, knowing that his people were still enjoying themselves. He got to the door and opened it, seeing Walter standing there patiently.

"Your wife requests your presence in the dining room, Naruto-sama. She would like to eat and converse with her husband," he said as Naruto nodded groggily in confirmation. He was too tired to even correct Walter. Naruto got changed into some nicer clothes and went down to greet the dining room to meet his wife.

When he got there, his grogginess disappeared. It instead turned into anger. He saw Kurenai, setting down some plates and silverware as his wife entered from the kitchen and was placing some side dishes on the table. The two women seemed to be conversing with each other, though Naruto couldn't hear what they were saying. Then Erina entered, bringing in the first course of dinner it looked like. Naruto, however, was in no mood to eat at the moment. He entered the room, making his presence known to the three females.

"Oh, dear you are up! Just in time for dinner," Euphemia said cheerfully, not minding her husband's angry face.

"What is she doing here, Euphie?" Naruto asked as he gazed into the direction of the Genjutsu Kunoichi.

"Why she is here to eat dinner with us tonight. Now would you hurry and wash your hands so we can start eating. Erina has prepared a nice meal for us. Did you also happen to see my brother and sisters on your way down?" Euphemia said, again ignoring Naruto's tone.

"She is not a guest in MY house, Euphemia! You should've kept her in her room. I do not want anyone from that village conversing with my family," Naruto said, as Erina quickly placed the plates of food on the table and went back to the kitchen. Though she and Soma were good friends with the Emperor and Empress, she didn't want to be apart of another one of Naruto and Euphemia's quarrels. She didn't like that feeling of almost dying the last time.

"Well, she is MY guess in OUR house, Naruto. Don't think I forgot that little stunt you pulled earlier. You're lucky I'm not making you sleep in the living area. So either you can do that, or you'll just have to deal with the fact that Kurenai-san will be joining us for dinner tonight. Besides, she has some things she needs to say to you and I think you should hear her out!" Euphemia threatened, causing Naruto to back down a bit. He did make his wife go through a lot already today, so it looked like he would have to suffer a bit through dinner.

"I'm sorry Kurenai-san. My husband sometimes forgets his manners at the dinner table so you will have to wait until after dinner is served. Especially with ramen on the menu tonight, I don't think he'll hear anything you say as he slurps away," Euphemia joked, her total demeanor changing after threatening Naruto. Kurenai laughed a bit nervously, hoping whatever she said would have a profound effect on both Naruto and Euphemia.

A few moments later, Lelouch, Nunnally, and Cornelia entered the dining room as dinner began. They had a few appetizers to start off before the main course of ramen appeared on the table. Naruto let go of his anger for a moment and dug in immediately into the large bowl of ramen. As Euphemia said, he slurped away very loudly. Everyone else though didn't seem to mind as they started to ask Kurenai some questions about herself and also her future baby.

When Naruto was finished with his fifth bowl of ramen, he recomposed himself, looking at Kurenai. Though he didn't know her very much, just her being associated with Konoha made him distrust her immensely.

Kurenai took that as her cue and explained to Naruto what she wanted to say. She explained the entire background of the decision to banish him and the effects it had on everyone he knew. She told him the whole truth, about how all of his former classmates had changed because of his banishment. She reminded him about Shikamaru and Choji and how they defended him and his honor over the years. She even mentioned that Ino reflected about the mistakes she had made in the past. She even explained that Asuma regretted his decision on supporting his banishment and that she chastised him greatly for doing so. She also explained Team Guy's situation. She understood that even though they failed to defend him all those years ago, they were still always thinking of him and were striving to impart what they learned from him into their students. They wanted to make sure that people knew the truth of who the real Naruto was.

Kurenai even mentioned how much Kakashi missed him. Though he had become Hokage now, he was still trying to figure out where Naruto went. She knew that he would be happy to hear that you were here in the West, as an Emperor no less. Naruto tightened up a bit when his old sensei was brought up. Kakashi was nowhere to be found when he was banished and though Naruto didn't have any serious resentment towards him, he wanted to know why his sensei abandoned him in his time of need.

She then explained how much his banishment affected Hinata. How she changed from the soft-spoken girl to a fierce warrior almost overnight. She mentioned that even her father hated himself for her changes and wanted the old Hinata back. She also explained that Hinata never wavered in her love for Naruto. She would destroy anyone who spoke ill of him, regardless if they were friends or family.

When she finished, she told Naruto that there were still people supporting him, even though it seemed like everyone was against him. She begged mercy for everyone not named, Sasuke, Sai, and Danzo. Though she knew Kiba was a bit of an idiot, he didn't know any better and he was still her student who she needed to look after.

When Kurenai was done explaining, she could see Naruto was thinking heavily about everything she had just said. Though he was torn deep down about the situation of his former classmates, their situation couldn't be helped at the moment. They made their decisions, and Naruto would make his.

"My ruling will still stand. If they want redemption, they will have to earn it through battle. Though what you have told me tonight does lessen my anger a bit, I need to see it before I believe it. Though I thank you for your support and kind words, Kurenai, we are done here. I truly hope you and your baby live a long and fruitful life," Naruto said as he stood and made his exit from the dining room. Kurenai bowed to Naruto, tears starting to form in her eyes a bit. She did her best but to no avail. Everyone else in the room though felt a bit sorry for Kurenai. When they were done with dinner, samurai guards took her back to her room.

Later, when they got into bed, Euphemia snuggled up to her husband, as he laid with her resting his eyes.

"So what do you think?" she asked. Naruto knew all too well where she was going with this.

"I don't know what to think. A part of me wants to spare some of them, but the other part wants to see them get what's coming to them," Naruto replied, looking down at his wife.

"Well, don't you think at least a few of them earned a chance. I mean, they did defend you and displayed some courage today," she said.

"They did, but my decision will still stand. They will have to fight for it. Though they may have defended me, I need to see that it was genuine," Naruto said.

"What about the Hyuuga girl? Do you have some feelings for her?" Euphemia asked, interested in Naruto's answer.

"No, I do not. Though I do consider Hinata a dear friend, she hasn't done anything for me really. However, I do see her as the person who is most deserving of redemption," he answered, causing Euphemia to be intrigued.

"How so?"

"When she confessed to me, I was in my Kyuubi Chakra mode, I felt her feelings and thoughts. They were genuine and it was a very warm feeling. Everything Kurenai said tonight only confirmed that. Just, I don't know how to go about it," he said as silence came upon husband and wife.

After a few minutes, Euphemia decided she would make a surprise announcement, "Then she should stay here," she said, causing Naruto to look at her with a surprised look.

"What?"

"She should stay here. If she genuinely supports you, then she shouldn't be stuck in that horrid of a place. She should earn your trust back here, where people won't judge her and where everyone will give her a second chance," Euphemia explained.

"You did hear what she had to say today, right? She still loves me. Though I don't like her like that, I will still consider her as a friend. I don't want this causing a rift between you and her if she were to stay here," Naruto said as Euphemia sat up on their bed and repositioned herself so she was laying on her side, facing Naruto.

"To be honest, I was a bit jealous of her earlier today because she changed your entire attitude on your decision. However, I trust you as my husband to do what's right. Plus, she has supported you her entire life. Ayame had come in earlier today and talked to me about her before I met up with your former village. She said that she wanted us to think about sparing her. As I think about it more, I can't seem to hate her, especially after the good words that were put in for her. She deserves a second chance, though that decision is entirely up to you," Euphemia said as Naruto laid back and thought about it more.

"I'll have to think about it," he replied.

"That's all I ask," Euphemia said as she got herself comfortable.

**A Few Days Later**

The Konoha group gathered at the competitor's entrance at the arena, escorted by their armed guards. All of them had trained their butts off in the past three days, without any incidents surprisingly. It was now time to get what they came here for. If Naruto was true to his word, they just needed to win one match against the West and he would honor an alliance with them. Though some were a bit worried, Sasuke, Danzo, and Sai were not. They believed this would be a cakewalk. They would all win their respective matches and then make sure to destroy Naruto.

Kenpachi greeted the group at the entrance with Yachiru on his back. He looked over all of them, seeing the confidence on their faces. He motioned them to follow him, as they entered their waiting area.

"It's a shame they're going to get crushed. The confidence on their faces is almost inspiring," Kenpachi grinned. He just wished Naruto gave the go-ahead to allow killing in this exhibition.

"There will be time for that later. Let's crush their spirit first. Then we can finish them off when the time comes," he remembers Naruto telling the group of Western fighters.

The Konoha group followed, noticing the sold-out crowd in the arena as they walked to their area. People were ready for the festivities, the exhibition matches being one of the highlights of the Unification Festival. Everyone from Konoha was amazed at the large arena and the number of people. There were more people here than the Chunin Exams.

Kenpachi explained to them that they would be chosen at random against a group of randomly chosen Western fighters.

"Why is it that the exhibition here is the most popular event? Aren't you all tired of fighting? I thought you wanted your new era of peace or whatever," Kiba asked, causing Kenpachi to look at him with a deadly glare.

"Because unlike you Easterners, fighting will always remain in our blood. It is a part of us. And don't think you are free to talk, Mutt. We have all heard about the stunt you tried to pull in the throne room against the Emperor. There are plenty of people here who want your head. So I would tread very carefully," Kenpachi said, as Kiba shuttered at his words. Yachiru just laughed at Kiba and his pathetic face.

"Now, pay attention, your opponent will be selected on that large screen right there," Kenpachi said as he pointed upwards. All of the Konoha shinobi looked up as they saw their names plus the names of 13 fighters from the West. Then, the arena went pitch black, until a few shining lights came upon an orange-haired girl.

"Good day, Ladies and Gentleman to the third annual Unification Festival Exhibition! I'll be your host and play-by-play commentator, Coco!" the woman said over the loud PA system as the crowd cheered for the festivities to begin.

"Today we have a special treat for you all. We have members from the Eastern lands, who will be participating in today's event. We have billed it, the "East vs West Showdown! Make some noise for our guests from the village of Konoha!" she continued as the Konoha group stepped out into the Arena and were met with silence. The crowd was unsure of these unknowns, not knowing whether to clap and cheer or boo. The Konoha shinobi felt a bit embarrassed at the reception.

"Hmph, after I destroy my opponent and Naruto, they will all cheer for me," Sasuke thought.

"Well, I tried to hype them up as much as possible. Hopefully, they give us some good matches today. Anyways, up next, is our wonderful competitors from the Unified West, give it up for your Western fighters!" she said as the competitors from the West now appeared in the Arena. They were met with loud cheers, as both men and women alike cheered for their favorite fighter.

"Today, there will be thirteen exhibition matches. Each match will be selected at random and the two chosen fighters will duke it out, no holds barred style. As usual, each match will have a referee to ensure an even playing field and that no necessary killing needs to occur," she said as some of the Konoha shinobi breathed a sigh of relief. Sasuke, on the other hand, could care less. His opponent would be below him anyway, and he would kill them regardless.

"And as usual, the only rules we have are, be respectful to the referee, stay within the arena grounds, if you're opponent says give up then the match is over and no killing is allowed. So without further ado, let us begin the selection phase. Turn your attention to the screen where you will see the random shuffle happen live," Coco finished as everyone's gaze turned to the large screen hanging from the rafters of the Arena.

The screen showed each match being randomized and finally stopped, displaying who was facing who, one by one, and in their match order.

**Kiba vs Sesshomaru**

**Ino vs Gowther**

**Lee vs Kenichi**

**Sai vs Ban**

**Tenten vs Shigure**

**Choji vs Luffy**

**Shino vs Natsu Dragneel**

**Shikamaru vs Yami Sukehiro**

**Neji vs Gon Freecss**

**Hinata vs Miu**

**Asuma vs Edward Elric**

**Danzo vs Saitama**

**Sasuke vs Escanor**

The Western crowd yelled as some of their favorite fighters were participating. The Konoha group was intrigued, wondering just who these fighters were and why people were so excited for them. They observed the Western fighters from afar. They looked like a ragtag bunch of fighters. Nothing seemed too special about them, some of them even seemed really small and weak. And they just needed to win one match? This was going to be a cakewalk some of them thought.

"Now that our matches have been decided, I would like to take this time to thank our wonderful Emperor and Empress for making this entire week possible! They have worked extremely hard, so let's show them our gratitude as they make their entrance!" Coco said as she pointed to the middle of the arena where there was a platform with a kunai at the center of it.

In a flash, Naruto and Euphemia, along with most of their special guard appeared as the crowd roared even louder than before. Even the Western fighters were cheering at the appearance of the Emperor and Empress. Naruto and Euphemia smiled as they waved to the crowd.

"Did..did you guys see that? Was that-," Shikamaru asked once again, only for Asuma to turn to him and nod his head in disbelief. That was most definitely the Hiraishin and that was most definitely going to be the end of Konoha, regardless if they got an alliance or not.

"We love you Emperor and Empress-sama!"

"Thank you for all your hard work!"

The Konoha group were amazed at the reception Naruto was getting. He really did seem to be some type of hero here. All of them, including Sasuke, remembered Naruto being a loser and a troublemaker. Now he was the Emperor of probably the most powerful country in the world, and the people loved him. Hinata blushed as she looked proudly at Naruto. He had finally grown up and finally achieved his dream of being acknowledged. She just hoped, he would give most of them a second chance.

Suddenly, loud chants of Naruto's name rang throughout the arena.

"Naruto!

Naruto!

Naruto!

Naruto!

Naruto!"

"Okay, we know he's a hero and all, but this is getting a bit ridiculous," Ino said as the rest of the group agreed.

Sasuke, on the other hand, got even more jealous. It should be his name being chanted throughout the arena, not the Dobe's. His anger was rising. He didn't care who his opponent was anymore. He was going to kill him and then he was going to challenge Naruto for the throne. He was going to kill him and make everybody chant his name.

Danzo was also shaking with jealousy. How had the demon brat brainwashed an entire country into loving him? Though he hadn't been successful in influencing anybody here yet, he hoped to use his Sharingan to get some of these powerful fighters on Konoha's side. Spoiler alert, he wouldn't get that chance.

Naruto, Euphemia, and their special guard flashed into their viewing box, which was basically front row seats in the arena. He signaled to Coco to begin the matches.

"With the Emperor's blessing and the power vested in me, I would like to officially kick off the third annual Unification Festival Exhibition! The first match will be between Kiba Inuzuka and Sesshomaru! The referee will be All Might! Will both fighters please step up to the fighting platform," Coco said as she moved out of the way and took her seat at the announcer's table. Both Kiba and Akamaru stepped up to one side, while Sesshomaru stepped up on the other side.

"Today is the day I show my worth as the alpha of my pack. Be prepared for a world of hurt, pal," Kiba said energetically, followed by a large bark by Akamaru. Sesshomaru just stared at him, knowing all too well who this person was.

"So you're the one who attacked the Emperor? How primitive. You will soon find out that I am not as merciful as he is," Sesshomaru responded, causing Kiba to yelp a bit.

All Might saw that the two were ready and was prepared to begin the match. First, however, he had to remind the demon yokai about the rules,

"Remember Sesshomaru-san, no killing," he said, though even he was unsure if yokai would acknowledge him or not. Everyone in the West knew that Sesshomaru's loyalties lied with the Emperor and no one else.

Without further delay, All Might began the match.

Kiba, still not learning his lessons from the previous two matches with Naruto, went on the offensive early. He and Akamaru leaped forward quickly, hoping to attack their opponent before he could react. Sesshomaru was having none of it and just sidestepped both of them and caught them by the neck. He threw them across the arena, into a wall. Before Kiba and Akamaru could react, Sesshomaru was on them, his Dokkaso claws out and ready to strike. Kiba and Akamaru barely managed to dodge Sesshomaru's attacks. The two regrouped and Akamaru transformed into an identical Kiba.

"Looks like we a good one on our hands," Kiba said as Akamaru nodded.

"**Gatsuga"**

Both Kiba clones launched themselves at Sesshomaru with great speed. Their rotation was much tighter, after only a few days of practice and their attack would be hard to stop for a normal opponent. Unfortunately for them, Sesshomaru was not a normal opponent, and without moving from his spot, impeded their progress with just one arm. Though they were still in a tight rotation, Kiba and Akamaru were basically stuck.

"Useless, human. Do you think an alpha attacks like this? You are no alpha. You are an omega of your pack. The lowest of all Omega's. Now feel the wrath of the great Sesshomaru," he said as he now directed them into the ground. Kiba and Akamaru hit the ground with tremendous force and finally stopped their rotation. They were badly injured, as they hit the ground with plenty of force, but they were conscious. However, Sesshomaru wasn't done with them just yet.

"Look at you and your mutt. How pathetic you both are. And you call yourself an alpha. Hmph. Let me show you what a real alpha looks like," Sesshomaru said as he transformed into his demon form. "Now you will pay dearly for your earlier actions," Sesshomaru said as he was about to attack a barely conscious Kiba and Akamaru with his large claws before All Might stepped in. He knocked Sesshomaru out of the way. Causing the now large dog to stumble back a bit.

"I said no killing Sesshomaru-san. Those are the rules," All Might said, ready for anything as he took a defensive stance.

"Woah, that guy is out of control," Ino remarked as everyone else agreed. They thought that the only demons that were alive were the Tailed Beasts. How mistaken they were. There were demons in the West, and they seemed way more powerful than those in the East. Danzo was salivating at the sight, "He will be the first one I control."

Meanwhile, All Might had his hands full with an out of control Sesshomaru, "Out of the way All Might. This omega is mine. They are weak, and need to be eradicated from the pack," he said as Kiba and Akamaru were slowly crawling their way back to their group.

"Sesshomaru-san, please. It is enough, you are already the winner of this match," All Might tried, to no avail. Sesshomaru kept coming until Naruto stepped in.

"That is enough Sesshomaru!" Naruto said, appearing in his Tailed Beast Mode form. He became the same size as Sesshomaru now, and caught the Inu Youkai as he tried to throw a punch at All Might. Sesshomaru looked at Naruto, who had his arms folded and was surrounded by Kurama's chakra and was in Sage Mode. Sesshomaru then reverted back to his human form, as did Naruto.

"As you wish, Emperor," he said as he took his leave as though nothing happened. He moved back to the Western fighters box, as the crowd cheered, even though he had gone batshit crazy.

"All Might, call the match," Naruto said to his advisor as All Might did what he was told. Naruto walked back to his box shaking his head. Sesshomaru was almost loyal to a fault. He would have to talk to him about that later.

"Due to Kiba Inuzuka being unable to continue, the winner of this match is Sesshomaru!" he said as the crowd roared. Sesshomaru put his hand up with a small smile as he acknowledged everyone in the arena. The medical staff stepped in and took Kiba to the tent to get treatment. He would have a concussion but would remain alive. He would then be put in the dungeon, as per the agreement.

Coco came back to announce the next match between Ino and Gowther. Both competitors stood at the center of the platform. The referee for this match is Kazuma Kuwabara.

"May the best woman win," Ino said as Gowther gave her a puzzling look.

"You do know that I am a man right?" he replied back, as Ino nearly had a heart attack.

"Begin!"

Ino recollected herself and moved in to try and fight close quarters. Though she was a long-range specialist, she was able to hold her own when it came to taijutsu. Unfortunately, she wasn't on the level she needed to be yet. She swung wildly, trying to hit Gowther with a serious of combos, though none were landing. Gowther, growing tired of dodging, kicked off of her to create some distance.

"**Sokyu Haritto" (Twin Bow Herritt)**

He summoned two purple energy bows as he took aim and quickly shot Ino in her head. It rendered her momentarily unconscious, as he decided to search and rewrite her memories. The other Konoha shinobi were wondering what was going on, seeing as though there was no action, yet the referee didn't call anything. Next thing they knew, Ino ran to Asuma immediately,

"Why won't he love me, Sensei! I did everything for him! I even look better than that pink-haired bimbo, Sakura," Ino said as she was crying in Asuma's arms. They were all so confused at her sudden change in attitude.

"I saw that she got rejected by that Sasuke guy before. So I readjusted her memories and made it happen over and over again to the point where she's almost insane. Don't worry, she'll recover from it soon, unfortunately, though, this makes you 0 for 2 so far," Gowther said as Kazuma declared him the winner. The crowd cheered, seeing another victory for the West. Ino was taken away to the dungeons, still sobbing over her past rejections from Sasuke.

Though they were 0 and 2 so far, the East was still not too discouraged, yet. Though they had lost, Ino and Kiba were probably the weakest out of all of them. So they didn't really have anything to worry about yet.

Coco announced Lee and Kenichi as the next match as both competitors came to the center. Lee was ready, he had been waiting for this moment, to earn his redemption from Naruto. He made a mistake in not defending Naruto in the past, but that would be the last time that would happen. He vowed this match would be where he shows Naruto the fruits of his training. Kenichi, on the other hand, remembered that he was facing a person who was silent in defending Naruto. Though normally cheerful and a good sport even to an enemy, Kenichi was dead serious. Even the referee, Killua, was a bit surprised at Kenichi's attitude.

"Be prepared for my Burning Flames of Youth, Kenichi-san," Lee said as he took his stance. Kenichi totally ignored him and got into his stance.

The fight wasn't even close.

Though Lee was probably the best taijutsu user out of the entire group, he was not on the same level as a determined Kenichi. Not even opening a sixth gate could get Lee past Kenichi. Lee had reached his limits and was barely standing which gave Kenichi the opening.

"**Korui Nuki" **

Kenichi delivered his most powerful attack, straight to Lee's knee. It broke in every place imaginable and the crack could be heard throughout the Arena. Lee yelled in pain, gripping his knee. The bone was already displaced and sticking out of its socket. Killua immediately called the match. That was the moment, the Konoha shinobi started to lose their confidence a bit. Not even a sixth gate Lee could defeat a guy who didn't seem to look all that great. Lee was screaming in pain, as the medical crew came and were putting him onto a stretcher.

"You cry in pain over an injury like this. Imagine having to deal with that pain for your entire life. I hope your silence was worth it," Kenichi said as he walked back to his waiting area. He nodded at Naruto, who in turn gave him a thumbs up. The crowd erupted again, almost cynically this time.

The next match between Sai and Ban was basically a one-sided match. Sai didn't have enough time or space to draw any of his summons. And when he did summon his drawings, they turned against him almost immediately. He was so focused on defending himself from his drawings that he didn't keep track of Ban, who appeared behind him and knocked him out with a simple chop to the head.

Tenten vs Shigure was also almost the same. Though she was a weapons specialist, Tenten was no match for Shigure's skill with weapons. Just like the first time the two met each other in battle, Shigure easily knocked TenTen out with the back of her staff. The match was rather merciful though, compared to the others.

The next match between Choji and Luffy piqued Naruto's interest. When the match began, Choji immediately expanded, hoping to use his size and strength to overcome his skinny opponent. He tried to stomp on Luffy, who easily dodged every attack. Choji was exerting his energy quickly and his size was starting to shrink. His attacks were now slowing down, giving Luffy an opening. The Straw Hat wound back as he prepared his attack,

"**Gomu Gomu no Pistoru" (Gomu Gomu no Pistol)**

Luffy threw a devastating punch, hitting Choji at tremendous speeds and knocked the Akimichi back to the same wall where Kiba landed. Luffy hit Choji right in the chest, causing him to shrink back to his normal size.

"You...you c-can expand to?" Choji asked, clutching his chest and checking to see if the punch broke anything.

"Shihihi, of course I can. I'm like rubber," Luffy said, walking up the injured Akimichi.

"Mendokuse, Choji is in trouble," Shikamaru muttered.

"I would advise you to give up. Before you get hurt even more," Luffy said, causing a spark in Choji's eyes.

"No matter if my back is against the wall, I will never give up. That is my ninja way," Choji said, referencing Naruto. He took out his three food pills and promptly ate them, regaining his strength back.

"Suit yourself," Luffy said as he wound up again. "**Gomu Gomu no Gatling" **Luffy shot a barrage of punches towards Choji, who embraced the hits but was still standing his ground. In fact, Choji seemed to be getting bigger, as he slowly moved forward to Luffy. He managed to catch one of Luffy's punches and didn't let go. He picked up the pirate and swung him around a bit before throwing him across the arena.

Luffy immediately got up with a wide grin on his face, "My my. Do we have a match now," he said as he shot himself at Choji. Choji remained tough, fighting valiantly throughout the rest of the match, but was ultimately KO'd by a Gomu Gomu no Bazooka. Luffy was declared the winner as the crowd cheered.

Naruto, however, was very impressed. Choji's resilience throughout the match made it very entertaining. Even though he was completely outmatched, he never gave up and expanded all of his energy into trying to beat his opponent.

"Well, add one to the list," Naruto thought.

The next match was Shino vs Natsu Dragneel.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu proclaimed as the ever quiet Shino took his place in the center. This match went in favor of Natsu, who easily dispatched Shino's insects with his fire. He burned through all of them, giving him the opening to attack Shino with a Fire Dragon's roar which rendered Shino unconscious.

"The next match will be Yami Sukehiro vs Shikamaru Nara!" Coco announced as both competitors went to the center of the arena. Shikamaru studied his opponent, who appeared to be trying to intimidate him. It was working. Shikamaru shook a little bit at the man's face. The face was 10 times worse than Captain Yamato's. Shikamaru also deduced that his opponent was definitely powerful in his own right. The referee for the match was Meliodas, who looked very uninterested in being apart of this. He shouted begin, to hurry along with the proceedings so he could go and grope Elizabeth.

Shikamaru immediately jumped into the air and threw an exploding tag kunai at Yami. The Magic Knight easily avoided the attack and sent out a wave of black magic at Shikamaru. The attack barely missed the Nara but cut a piece of his uniform off. Shikamaru sent out his shadows, trying to take advantage of the well-lit arena and his opponent's large shadow. Yami saw the shadows creeping and noticed it was similar to his black magic. He threw out his lightless slash as a distraction. Shikamaru had to dodge these too, forcing his shadows to stop. Yami then summoned his dark binding from his grimoire, restraining the Nara who fell right into his trap.

Yami pulled out his sword, prepared to strike Shikamaru before the Nara did something no one from Konoha was surprised at.

"Give up," he said with a dull voice. He had gone over the calculations in his head before the match even started. He realized that the opponents they were fighting had similar abilities to them. These fighters from the West were strong and chances of winning were already slim. He figured out from the beginning that he wasn't going to win the match anyway, but he thought he'd at least try and see what his opponent could do. He was beginning to wonder how "random" this draw really was. Was it just bad luck? Or was it a coincidence? Shikamaru was beginning to wonder if Naruto had planned this from the beginning, just to show how strong the West really was.

As Shikamaru was taken away, he whispered something to Asuma. The Sarutobi looked a bit shocked and his confidence seemed to waver after that.

The next match was between Neji and Gon Freecss. Gon easily dispatched Neji. Even with his Byakugan activated, Neji had a hard time keeping up with Gon's speed and agility. Neji got hit, even in his Kaiten, as Gon found weak points and used his fishing hook to throw Neji into the Eastern waiting area, effectively ending the match by count-out.

Hinata vs Miu was almost similar and though Hinata tried her hardest, it wasn't enough against the Elder's granddaughter. Miu knocked down Hinata to the point where she could barely walk, and the referee acknowledged that Hinata couldn't last any longer and gave the victory to Miu. Miu looked very concerned for Hinata when she was helped off of the platform. She hoped she wasn't hurt too bad, knowing full well the implications of their match.

With only three matches remaining, the Konoha group were still winless. They were heavily outmatched in each, not even coming close to even touching their opponents. It hadn't even been an hour yet, and already the matches were coming to an end. The crowd started to boo whenever a Konoha shinobi was called up. They were seen as weak, not even being able to last a few minutes. It was disheartening for Asuma, but Danzo and Sasuke could care less. They both felt that they would easily win their matches and force Naruto into an alliance.

Asuma faced off against Edward Elric. The alchemist overpowered Asuma in close combat weaponry. Edward transmuted his arm into a blade and easily disarmed Asuma from his chakra blade. Edward had his blade at Asuma's neck before Asuma also gave up. It seemed that whatever Shikamaru told him made him unfocused, and caused him to lose an edge.

Though he was supposed to face another opponent, Asuma was instead escorted to the dungeons. Naruto decided that the ass-kicking from Edward was enough. Though he was ruthless at times, Naruto didn't want to see Asuma and Kurenai's future baby go through the same ordeal that he did.

Up next was Danzo, who looked eagerly ready to compete against Saitama. The hero, on the other hand, looked very disinterested. Danzo thought how stupid this person looked, wearing a yellow jumpsuit. No strong fighter in their right mind would be caught wearing something so ridiculous he thought. When the match began, Danzo immediately tried to get Saitama under his control through his hidden Sharingan. He tried to use his Kotoamatsukami, but it seemed to have no effect on Saitama whatsoever. Instead, due to his delay, Danzo got hit by a normal series punch from Saitama. He flew high into the air, crashing into the arena roof, before slamming back down on the ground. He was knocked out cold. Saitama was immediately declared the winner. Danzo was dragged by the samurai guards to the dungeon. They were instructed by Euphemia to not even give him a stretcher or any assistance due to his conduct in the throne room.

And then there was one.

It was Sasuke's turn next. He stepped up to the center of the platform smirking. He knew it was up to him now. However, he thought he was going to just destroy whoever he faced. That's when he noticed the crowd was chanting,

"Escanor! Escanor! Escanor!"

A man stepped out in a bartender suit, with a red bow tie. He had on spectacles and a large mustache covering his mouth. He walked to the center of the platform with a large ax that looked extremely heavy for him, as Sasuke's smile grew wide.

"This is who I have to face? A pipsqueak like this? Let's start this match. I will make it very quick," he said until the referee stepped up. It was Hayato Furinji, and he smiled at the young Uchiha.

"Calm yourself, Sasuke-chan. There is one important thing we must do since this is the last match of the Festival," Hayato told him, causing some confusion for Sasuke.

"Open the roof," Hayato said as the building started to shake. The crowd went crazy, excited to finally see this experience again. The roof started to open, allowing the rays of sunshine to enter into the arena. Sasuke looked up and had to turn away because it was too bright for his eyes. He then looked at his opponent, who was now standing much taller than him. He stood over him, his body transformed into a chiseled physique. His clothes were ripped and the man carried the ax on his shoulder as if it were a feather.

"What is this? Where was the pipsqueak that was just here a second ago?!" Sasuke yelled in confusion. This was not the person he was supposed to be facing. There must've been some trickery in this.

"He is standing right in front of you," the elder Furinji told Sasuke as Escanor looked down at him.

"I am the Empress's loyal guard. The one who sits atop all clans. I am the Seven Deadly Sins Lion Sin of Pride, Lord Escanor." Escanor said causing much laughter out of Sasuke. Both the elder and Escanor looked at Sasuke, confused.

"You have got to be fucking with me. What a complete joke. Let me show you who really sits atop all of the clans," Sasuke said activating his Sharingan. Hayato started the match and Sasuke struck first, attacking Escanor head-on at blazing speed. Naruto just shook his head, "the Teme still hasn't learned," he thought.

Escanor, on the other hand, used his ax as his defense and deflected Sasuke's attack. He swung his battle-ax at Sasuke, causing him to jump back and create space. He weaved some hand signs and sucked in,

"**Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu" **

A large ball of fire came out of his mouth and headed straight for Escanor. The Sin of Pride just stood there and cut the fireball in two with his ax. Immediately though, Sasuke was on him with a powered-up Chidori, preparing to strike. Sasuke surmised that he needed to finish this fight quickly if he wanted to challenge Naruto. He tried to stab Escanor, who just caught his arm and slammed him into the ground. The Chidori made a small hole but broke Sasuke's fall a bit. Escanor swung his ax down, but Sasuke turned just in time to see it and moved out of the way.

"Tch, I'm going to have to use it," Sasuke thought, as he started to activate his cursed seal. He started to go into pain immediately but felt the power rushing through his veins.

"My turn," he said as he rushed at Escanor quickly, his speed nearly doubling. This made Naruto very curious. He had not seen Sasuke ever use that before and wondered if the Snake had anything to do with it. He made sure to take note of it for future reference.

Even with his cursed seal activate though, Sasuke was still no match for Escanor's strength. In his advance, Sasuke was cut by Escanor's ax. He clutched his arm in pain, as he felt a burning sensation coming from his large gash on his arm. It was as though his arm was on fire. He didn't have time to pay attention to it though and powered up another Chidori. He wouldn't miss this time. He lunged forward again, slipping past Escanor's ax and met flesh. Sasuke smirked, seeing as though he hit his mark. Unfortunately, though, he didn't realize that he hadn't even penetrated Escanor's skin to do any damage.

The Lion merely laughed at the effort, "you're going to have to do better than that to defeat me," he said as he picked up Sasuke by the arm, broke it, and then threw him high into the air. The entire crowd in the Arena watched as Escanor jumped as high with his ax in tow. Sasuke was powerless to do anything, as Escanor made cuts into each of Sasuke's limbs. Sasuke yelled in pain as they fell back down. He laid there, feeling as though his whole body was on fire.

"Please! Make it stop! Make it stop! It burns!" he screamed as Escanor and Hayato merely looked on at him.

"Can you continue Sasuke-chan?" Hayato asked, only to be met with another scream of pain.

"I declare your winner for this match, Escanor!" Hayato said as he raised Escanor's hand. The samurai guards approached and took Sasuke away. He had reverted back to his human form and felt a type of pain that he had never felt before. What made matters worse for him was that the guards never took Sasuke out of the sunshine, which only caused more damage to the Uchiha.

Naruto only laughed when Sasuke screamed in pain. He loved the sight, not to mention the fact that Konoha had not won a single match. He planned this from the very beginning, knowing fully well that the Konoha group didn't stand a chance against any of the fighters from the West.

"I told you. You just had to trust me," Naruto said to Euphemia. She turned to him and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"I never should've doubted you, my husband," was her reply.

The fans cheered for Escanor as he made his way back to the waiting area. Then Naruto appeared in the middle of the Arena to speak. He apologized that the East had sent such weak fighters and that the crowd hadn't seen much action. He then set up another round of fights for their entertainment. He selected a few fighters personally, hoping to give the crowd a better showing than the previous thirteen matches.

When he returned to his seat, Jiraiya whispered something into his ear. Naruto just nodded his head as Euphemia gave him a look.

"I have to go and prepare for the important guests tonight. Don't wait up for me. You can take over from here," he said as he smiled and gave her a kiss on the lips. Euphemia knowing all too well who his guests were.

"I can't wait to hear all about it tomorrow then," Euphemia said as Naruto nodded and flashed away with his guards and Jiraiya.

**A/N: ****Sorry about the matches. They were making the chapter too long so I had to summarize them. I will leave it up to the reader's imagination about what happened. I'm not very good sometimes at describing fight scenes and what not so hope it'll do. **


	12. Getting a Lifeline

**Later that Evening - Western Dungeons**

After getting their asses handed to them by the Western fighters, the Konoha members were placed in the dungeons, per their agreement with Naruto. Each member was thrown in one by one after they lost their match. After losing thirteen straight matches, every single member of the Konoha group, minus Kurenai, was locked in the West's prison.

The dungeons were dark and cold. It was literally pitch black and none of them could see their surroundings. There were no windows, so there wasn't even a chance that the natural light of the sun or moon creeping its way in there. They couldn't see it, but they were separated by really small cells. It was almost like a small walk-in closet, big enough to hold them, but small enough so that they couldn't move around as much. They were all lined up into two rows with room for a walkway in the middle.

The unconscious members of the group were starting to wake up. A traumatized Ino was starting to stir, she thought it was weird that she kept having this bad dream of Sasuke rejecting her, even though she wasn't into him anymore. Kiba didn't go unconscious during his bout but had fainted on his way out after seeing Sesshomaru go crazy. Akamaru also was a bit traumatized and was still unconscious. Tenten was starting to wake up, feeling the large bump on her head. Choji was starting to stir, though he was extremely exhausted after using up his chakra and his three food pills. Shino seemed to be up for a while now, though no one, including the author, seemed to notice.

Lee had knocked out due to all the pain. He still couldn't walk and it would take a miracle for his injury to heal properly. He had awoken suddenly and gripped his knee. It had been a long time since he felt that type of pain. Sai was starting to regain consciousness and though he didn't show it, he was starting to wonder how they were going to win even a single battle with the West. Danzo was starting to come to, trying to figure out what happened and why his Sharingan didn't work. Sasuke was also stirring, his injuries being so painful that he passed out. He hadn't been given any treatment as per Naruto's orders. The only thing the medical team did for him was to stop the bleeding. Naruto wasn't done with him just yet.

The only ones awake and not as badly hurt were Shikamaru, Asuma, Neji, and Hinata. They hadn't spoken a single word to each other, despite them knowing that they were awake. They were too shellshocked at what had just occurred over the past few days. Not only had they found out that their friend was alive, but that he had become the ruler of the most powerful country they had ever seen. Add to the fact that they had just gotten destroyed rather quickly by all of the Western fighters. Not to mention that Naruto still hated Konoha and it was only a matter of time until the village burned to the ground. However, what none of them realized were the two figures that were with them in the room, at the beginning of the walkway.

"Ugh, where the fuck are we?" Kiba groaned, fully awake now.

"It would seem we are in the dungeons. Though, for all we know, we could be in the execution room, too," Shikamaru answered, being snapped out of his thoughts.

"So Naruto wasn't kidding. We really are going to spend a day down here," Ino added, as everyone nodded in agreement.

"That Demon Brat better release us within the hour if he knows what's good for him. He will make a major enemy out of us," Danzo said, clearly not learning anything from the ass-kicking they all received. "Why the hell is it so dark in here," Kiba chimed in.

"I agree. If the Dobe was a man, he would've faced us himself instead of having his little underlings do his bidding. We were right to assume that he only has powerful people under him and that's why he's the Emperor," Sasuke added. Shikamaru only shook his head.

"You don't get it, do you? He's the Emperor in this country for a reason. He doesn't have to be the strongest though, I'm pretty sure he is up there," Shikamaru countered.

"What are you getting at, Shikamaru?" Asuma asked, curious about where his student was going with this.

"Yeah I mean if he's not the strongest, then why is he the Emperor?" Ino added.

"If he ain't the strongest, then other people could easily take him on," Tenten said.

"Did you all not see the reception he got when he first arrived in the arena? Did you see how much the crowd loved him? Even his fighters were cheering for him. You could easily see the sense of loyalty everybody in this country has for him. He doesn't need strength if the people are going to be loyal to him. To be honest, I don't even think Naruto wanted this position as Emperor in the beginning. I'm sure other people were nominated, but because of everyone's loyalty and respect towards him, they deferred to him. Something we all should've done for him as his friends. We all could've done more for him, yet we abandoned him in his time of need. He worked his ass off to not only become a better shinobi, but also a better person and friend to us. Quite frankly, I don't think any of us deserve a second chance at redemption. Especially after we decided to banish him for a traitor," Shikamaru said, as everyone else in the room besides Danzo, Sai and Sasuke reflected on their actions.

They were brought back to that time when Naruto's banishment took place. They could feel his pain and sorrow. He loved the village so much and wanted to do great things, yet he never got the fair chance that they all did. When it came down to it, Shikamaru's words were harsh, yet true. None of them deserved a second chance. For some of them, they didn't even deserve a chance at all.

Danzo scoffed at Shikamaru's words, "somehow that Demon Brat has managed to brainwash you into thinking that, Nara. You speak with your emotions. Emotions a good shinobi does not need. I would hope you put those feelings aside for someone who is the enemy now."

"Besides, that Dobe will always be the dead last. He's been hiding here in the West all this time. If he was a man with guts, he would've tried to burn Konoha to the ground already, but he hasn't. I could give two shits about earning his redemption. I knew I should've finished him off when I had the chance," Sasuke spoke, angering Hinata greatly.

"It's funny you talk about finishing him off Sasuke when he easily could've finished you off the other times you've faced. You lost to him when he brought you home and you lost to him with Danzo and his anbu. He's already beaten you twice and there was nothing that you could do about it. It's funny you talk about how much of a man Naruto-kun is when you won't ever be even a quarter of the man that he is," Hinata retorted to Sasuke.

"Oh, I can't wait to show you how much of a man I am, Hyuuga. I can't wait until we get back to the village and have our wedding. I'm going to enjoy being called your husband while the one you truly love is far away from you. I'm counting the days until you have my babies, knowing that Naruto has already fucked some other whore. I hope you realize he has never loved you and he never will. He doesn't care about you at all. You better start getting that fact into your thick skull. You are mine forever as soon as we get back to the village. In fact, you'll even have a front-row seat the day I put a Chidori through Naruto's chest and finish him off. Wouldn't you love to see that, my future wife? Me killing the one you truly love and me taking his spot as Emperor," Sasuke responded almost sadistically. He knew Hinata's obvious affections for Naruto and was deeply jealous because of it. He couldn't wait to fight Naruto again.

Hinata on the other hand, sunk in despair. Tears started to fall from her eyes. Seeing Naruto had made her forget about all the other things that were going on back in the village. With not getting an alliance, she now succumbed to the fate of marrying Sasuke. Even her confession to Naruto didn't seem to get through. She felt that there was no hope for her anymore.

Everyone else was disgusted at Sasuke. It became clear that he was even crazier then they all had initially thought. Neji wanted to jump out of his cell and strangle the Uchiha with his bare hands. Even Kiba wanted a piece of Sasuke for ridiculing his teammate like that.

Meanwhile, two pairs of eyes made their presence known in the room, "My my, look at the group we have here," the voice said which made the Konoha shinobi jump. They hadn't even heard anyone else enter the room. Where the hell did these two pair of eyes come from?

"W-w-w-who a-a-are y-y-you," Ino asked, trembling as a pair of eyes were staring straight at her.

"Ah forgive me for my lack of manners. That seems to be a reoccurring theme around you Easterners. My name is Alucard. Here with me is my protege, Seras Victoria. We lead the Emperor's Interrogation Division among other things. Wow, look at all of you. The Emperor has never brought me this many victim- ah, I mean guests to my dungeons before. It seems you all have been naughty this week. We have been sent to reeducate you all on proper conduct when you are in the presence of the Emperor and Empress," Alucard spoke, many of the Konoha group shaking as he walked past them and stared into their souls.

"Seras, which one do you think you want to start with?" Alucard asked as the second set of eyes made its way down the row of cells. Seras came to stop at Ino's cell, freaking out the blonde kunoichi, "I think I want to start with this one, master," she said. Ino screamed as the cell door opened. Ino's screams intensified, as whatever Seras did to her was making her go crazy.

"Your threats do not scare us. If you were smart, you would let us go this instant. Do you know what village we come from?" Danzo said, trying to keep face. Alucard turned to him, a grin on his face that no one could see.

"It is only a threat if the action is not carried out, isn't it? It was you who spoke these words, wasn't it? I can assure you, we do not threaten, we take action. The Emperor has special things planned for every single one of you. Just like your shinobi said earlier, we are extremely loyal to the Emperor and when he gives an order, we will carry out without fail," Alucard said as he started to work on Danzo. Sounds of Danzo's shrieks could be heard throughout the entire room.

Hinata prepared for the worst. The rows of screaming and pain were happening all around her. Her cell door then opened. She told herself, she wouldn't fight it. That she was resigned to this fate. She felt a small amount of pressure, almost like a pinch in her neck. She felt her blood rush for a second, then she went blacked out.

**Emperor's Palace**

Hinata sat up almost immediately. She looked at her surroundings and realized they weren't familiar to her. She rubbed her eyes, thinking she was dreaming. The sun was shining into her room from a nearby window. It was most definitely day time, though she couldn't be for sure the exact time. She tried to move out of the bed, but she felt a rush of pain in her neck and shoulders. The pain shot up to her head, giving her a migraine. It took her a while to recover, until she then felt the presence of another figure in the room, right at the foot of the bed in fact, which made her jump a bit.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. It sounded like you were in a bit of pain, I hope Alucard didn't go too hard on you, he was instructed not to," Nunnally said, as a bit of concern sat on her face.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" Hinata said, moving her legs to the side of the bed and letting them dangle. Unfortunately, she felt another rush go to her head and another migraine came.

"Please take it easy for a second, Hinata-san. I guess Alucard did overdo it a little bit. I apologize for that, sometimes he gets too carried away. He is a vampire and all though, so it's not surprising. Anyways, Seras brought you here. You're currently in the Palace and I know you are in some pain, but you have an important meeting in a few minutes so you should get ready for that," Nunnally answered which made Hinata a little confused.

"Meeting? I thought I was in the dungeon? Have I gone to the afterlife and will be meeting with kami himself?" she thought which made Nunnally giggle a bit.

"No Hinata-san, you're not dead. You are very much alive. Everything will make sense in a few minutes so please go and wash up. Walter will be here to escort you to your meeting," Nunnally said as she rolled herself out of the room. Hinata nodded and did what she was told. "How did she know what I was thinking?" Hinata thought.

On cue, a few minutes later, Walter was at Hinata's door. It's not like she could do much washing up besides washing her face. She noticed that the migraines had finally worn off and she felt a lot better after washing up. She followed Walter to her meeting destination. She had tried to ask him about this meeting, but his only response was that she would find out when she got there. She definitely didn't expect any of what would happen next, though.

The two made their way through the large Palace and finally got to their destination. Walter presented Hinata in front of a large door. He said that she didn't have to knock and that she could enter whenever she was ready. He wished her luck and ran off. Hinata took a deep breath before opening the door. What she saw shocked her.

Naruto's clones were running around the large office space. They were doing the usual office tasks, filing, copying, moving stacks of papers. There were so many of them and all were so busy, that they didn't realize that Hinata had stepped in. She walked through the rows of cabinets and machines and reached the back of the room. She saw a familiar face that she had been longing for all these years. Though he was surrounded by clones, she knew easily that he was the actual one. He was napping, head on his desk. It looked like he had just finished lunch, a large bowl of what looked to be ramen off to the side of him. He was drooling on a document he was reading. Lelouch was off overseeing cleanup duty for the Festival, so Naruto had to read every document that was on Lelouch's desk. Even with shadow clones, it was a drag.

Hinata giggled a bit, causing some clones to notice her. They made their way to the main Naruto and woke him up. He jumped and yelled Rasengan at the top of his lungs, as his eyes were only half-open. He was still groggy but rubbed his eyes to see that Hinata was standing in front of him. His whole demeanor changed and he gave her a large, signature Naruto smile as he wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth. He stood up, stretching, and yawning at the same time.

"How have you been, Hinata-chan? I'm sorry about what happened in the throne room and with your match with Miu. I hope you aren't hurt too badly," he said, which caused Hinata to do something she hadn't done in years.

She fainted.

When she came to again, she slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry for a moment, but she could hear voices speaking as they were standing over her.

"What did you do to her dear? When I said to do the right thing, making her faint wasn't the idea I had in mind," Euphemia said.

"Wow nii-chan, you did a number on her. I hope you're willing to share your husband, Euphie," Nunnally added.

"Naruto, please tell me you haven't been sneaking around on my sister," Lelouch also added.

"I swear I didn't do anything. I just asked how she was doing and then she fainted!" Naruto said, trying to defend himself.

They were all too preoccupied to see Hinata finally sit up. She turned to the quarreling group and decided to speak up,

"Ano, what is going on?" she asked which got a swift move from Euphemia to check her head and cheeks.

"Are you okay Hinata-san? Did my husband do anything he wasn't supposed to with you?" Euphemia asked, a bit of panic in her voice.

"Um no? All I remember was him asking how I was doing then I ended up on the floor. I don't remember much else," Hinata replied.

"I told you!" Naruto said.

"I know, I was just being sure dear," Euphemia said as she helped the former Hyuuga heiress get back to her feet. Lelouch brought a chair and some water for Hinata. She took a few sips before returning her gaze to the group.

"So, why exactly am I here?" she asked. It was now Naruto's turn to speak.

"Hinata-chan, I need you to answer me this honestly, okay?" Naruto began as Hinata nodded.

"Everything that you said to me in the throne room a few days ago, did you mean it?" Naruto asked as Hinata almost dropped the water she was holding. She cleared her throat, hoping to not choke over words.

"I meant every single word, Naruto-kun," Hinata said boldly, making Naruto smile a bit. He turned to his wife and in-laws, with a glowing look on his face.

"It is up to you, dear. It has always been your choice," Euphemia said with a smile as Naruto turned around to Hinata.

"Hinata, you are going to have to make a very important decision today and I will need to know your answer immediately. I'm not going to beat around the bush on this. I am going to destroy Konoha and all those that choose to remain in it. That place has become nothing but a cesspool of filth and human scum. They have not only treated me poorly but those I hold extremely dear. I know how they've treated you and I know how they've treated people that don't see me a the Kyuubi reincarnate. That is why I have decided to offer you asylum here in the West," Naruto said as Hinata was speechless. She didn't know what to say. She was so excited about the opportunity to stay here in the West and be closer to Naruto, yet, she had obligations in Konoha that made her feel helpless about her decision. She knew she was resigned to a certain fate, having the Caged Bird Seal being put on her and being forced to marry Sasuke. She would only bring more bad than good if she were to stay in the West. Though she was thrilled with the offer, she would have to sadly decline.

"I thank you for your kind offer, Naruto-kun, however, I feel like I will have to decline. I have been marked with the Caged Bird Seal as you can see, and the elders will most definitely activate it and kill me if I were to stay here. I won't be able to contribute to society here, and therefore I must decline," she said, with tears starting to swell in her eyes. Lelouch, Nunnally, and Euphemia all looked at each other with eyebrows raised a bit. Naruto just chuckled at her response.

"I would hope you reconsider this offer, Hinata. I do not see any seal on you. I don't think they will have control of you any longer," Naruto said. Hinata seemed a bit confused until Naruto gave her a mirror that showed her the truth. The seal that had been placed on her was no longer there. Not even a small mark was left. She looked at him with amazement.

"What happened?" Hinata asked, to which Naruto was about to reply until Nunnally beat him to it.

"Onii-chan removed it a bit earlier while you were knocked out. He used a special seal to remove that mark from your head. That's why you were having some of the migraines because your body is getting used to not having those restrictions being placed on you. Even if they tried to activate it, it wouldn't take any effect on you. It's pretty neat," Nunnally said as Hinata looked at Naruto. He was nodding in confirmation at everything she had just said. Hinata fell to her hands and knees, the tears pouring out like a waterfall now.

"Then I accept. I accept a million times over. Thank you, Naruto-kun. Thank you so much," she said, overcome with emotion.

"However, there is still a catch to all of this, Hinata," Naruto said as Hinata looked up at him, trying to wipe the tears away.

"You still need to earn your redemption in my eyes. Though I understand now that you were shy back then, seeing you not defending me still kind of hurts deep down. However, I have decided to give you this opportunity because I know the words that you spoke in the throne room were genuine. I am a big believer in actions speak louder than words, and though you spoke very well, now it is time to back them up. Though I know your feelings a lot better, I am married now and I love my wife greatly. However, I do hope that you can prove to me that you were worth giving a second chance to. I do still cherish you as a friend and hope that we can work to repair our friendship. Sound good so far?" Naruto explained as Hinata nodded in confirmation. She knew that even though she had lost her first love, she would support him as much as she could as his friend.

"Now, into the gritty stuff. You will be placed on probation for a year. That means you will be under guard at all times. You will be given a room in the Palace and can come and go as you please as long as you have an escort with you. During this year, you will learn our laws and regulations here in the West. After that year is up, you will choose a profession. We have many different combat and non-combat professions here in the West and we always encourage people to choose their passion. Euphie can give you the complete list of professions so that you can look over later. You will also need to start looking for a place after the year is up. Until then, you will live here at the Palace. You don't have to pay rent or pay for food, however, you will start to work for it. Any duties that you guard sees fit, you will do without question. If any of my family needs you to do something, you will do it. I will not be asking you for anything, because that seems unfair to you. However, I will be observing you and your actions, to see your progress. Am I clear?" Naruto finished as Hinata bowed before Naruto.

"Hai, Naruto-sama," she said.

"Ah. Okay, first lessons about the West. There is no bowing to me. We are still both human beings. Though I may have this fancy title, I am still no better than you, so no bowing. Second of all, don't add the sama. I'm not one for formal greetings between people I'm are close with. I don't need that stuff in my life. Got it?" Naruto said as Hinata giggled a bit and nodded.

"Okay good. Euphie, Nunnally, can you please take her to her room and get her situated?" Naruto asked as Hinata followed Euphemia and Nunnally out of the door. As they left, Lelouch turned to Naruto, eyeing him out curiously.

"Is this the right decision to make, brother? Won't having her here only cause more problems? Her village is going to freak out when they realize that she is here. This could hinder the timeline for our future plans," Lelouch said, to which Naruto nodded his head in agreement. Though he did agree, Naruto also agreed with his wife. Euphemia was the one who gave him the idea of having Hinata stay in the West. The more he thought about it, even if he didn't want to give her another chance, her being here was the best situation for all of them.

"I understand your concerns, Lelouch. However, I do believe she will contribute well to society here. When the others get here as well, Konoha will be in no position to even look in our direction. Besides, they have other things to worry about besides us. The preparations are almost complete. Their time will come soon enough," Naruto said with a smile as he looked at his brother-in-law, who was still trying to figure him out.

"Have I ever let you down before, brother?" Naruto asked to which Lelouch shook his head.

"No, you haven't,"

"And I don't intend on starting now. Anyways, why don't we go and get some lunch? I wanted to try Sanji's new ramen recipe that he said would kick my ass!" Naruto said cheerfully, as he put an arm around Lelouch's shoulder and dragged his brother-in-law with him.

**A Few Hours Later - Western Border**

The Konoha group had finally been released from the dungeons. They all looked terrible, except for Asuma, Kurenai, Shikamaru, and Choji. Whatever Alucard and Seras did to them, really did a number on them. They were dragging their feet and could barely walk. Even the usually stoic Danzo was silent. Naruto made sure Alucard did a good one on him, making sure that the elder would not go back to Konoha the same way he came. The group was being escorted to the border by some of the stronger Western fighters including Itachi. Naruto was waiting for them as they got there.

"Tell your Hokage that if I catch any of his shinobi stepping foot on any of my lands, I will have them killed on the spot. Konoha does not want to make an enemy out of me right now, for I will burn that village to the ground, without fail," he said, which made some of his former classmates cringe at the thought. Only then, did some of them notice that someone was missing from the group.

"Where the hell is my wife, Dobe! I will kill you if you lay a hand on her! Give her back now!" Sasuke yelled though he was too weak to even attack Naruto. Naruto just laughed at the Uchiha.

"Well if you must know, she is being held as compensation for the attack that the Inuzuka tried to pull in the throne room. Don't think I had forgotten any of those things that happened that day," Naruto said.

"Please don't harm her Naruto! She loves you, goddammit!" Ino screamed out.

"Don't tell me what to do, fangirl. You can reattach your mouth to the Uchiha's ass. I have no time for your shit. I would like to have you all know that Hinata has requested asylum here in the West. I have decided to grant her request. She has stated she wants nothing to do with any of you or Konoha," Naruto replied.

"She is the property of Konoha. You will be extremely sorry when her father hears that you have kept her here for your own pleasure," Danzo was able to mutter out.

"Property? Is that how an elder sees a citizen from his village as? Property? I see you have learned nothing during your time here. And like that deadbeat dad could do anything to me. Though I am not interested in courting Hinata, it will be good for her to stay in a country where waste and scum are not prevalent. I hope most of you learned a valuable lesson on this little trip of yours. I hope to never see you all, well that is unless you're dying by my hands," Naruto said, as he turned to Sasuke when he spoke about the dying by his hands. Sasuke looked at him, wanting to attack, but didn't have the strength to.

"NOW GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY EMPIRE!" Naruto yelled as the Konoha group got on their way. Asuma, Kurenai, Shikamaru, and Choji looked back one last time at Naruto, who nodded his head at them. They nodded and then turned around and continued their long trip back to Konoha.

Sasuke also made sure to look at Itachi, hoping that his hate and anger would one day allow him to kill his older brother. Itachi could only look at Sasuke with disappointment. He was still his brother, and he was disappointed in the path that Sasuke took. Itachi had secretly hoped that maybe he could talk some sense into Sasuke, and get him away from Danzo's influence.

As the Konoha group was walking away, Naruto noticed Zetsu watching them from afar. They noticed him looking at them, and dug their way back underground.

"So it begins," Naruto thought as he walked back with the rest of his escort. He had a lot of thinking to do and would need to call a council meeting, immediately.

**Other Anime Characters Mentioned**

**Akame ga Kill: Akame**

**Attack on Titan: Levi Ackerman,**

**Black Clover: Yami Suehiro**

**Black Lagoon: Dutch, Revy, Rock, Benny**

**Bleach: Ichigo Kurosaki, Kenpachi Zaraki, Yachiru Kusajishi, Rangiku Matsumoto**

**Boku no Hero Academia: Deku, All Might**

**Code Geass: Euphemia, Lelouch, Nunnally, Cornelia, Suzaku, Nina Einstein, Kallen**

**Dragon Ball: Son Goku, Android 18,**

**Fairy Tale: Natsu Dragneel, Erza Scarlet**

**Fullmetal Alchemist: Edward Elric, Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye**

**Gintama: Gintoki Sakata, Kagura**

**Hellsing: Alucard, Seras Victoria, Integra Hellsing, Walter**

**Hunter x Hunter: Gon Freecss, Killua,**

**Inuyasha: Inuyasha, Sesshomaru**

**Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple: Kenichi Shirahama, Miu Furinji, Hayato Furinji, Ma Kensei, Shio Sakaki, Akisame Koetsuji, Shigure Kosaka, Tochumaru**

**Mobile Suit Gundam: Char Aznable**

**One Punch Man: Saitama**

**One Piece: Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Sanji, Chopper, Franky, Nico Robin**

**Rurouni Kenshin: Himura Kenshin**

**Samurai Champloo: Jin, Mugen, Fuu**

**Seven Deadly Sins: Meliodas, Ban, Gowther, Escanor**

**Shokugeki no Soma: Yukihira Soma, Nakiri Erina**

**Steins Gate: Rintaro Okabe**

**Yu Yu Hakusho: Yusuke Urameshi, Hiei, Kazuma Kuwabara**


	13. How the Tables Have Turned

**The Very Next Day - Council Chambers**

After the events of the past week, Naruto called an emergency meeting. Every council member needed to attend, regardless if they had other things going on. As Naruto entered the council chambers, he saw that everyone that needed to be there was present. The only exception being Son Goku, who still hadn't returned from his "Saiyan Business". Everyone stood at attention as Naruto entered the room, flanked by Jiraiya, Itachi, and Lelouch. Once he sat down, everyone else took their seats, and the meeting started immediately.

"Look, I know I called you all here at the last minute, but there have been a few recent developments that require our immediate attention. I hope this meeting will be short, but I make no promises," Naruto started. A groan could be heard coming from Luffy, who was getting hungry. "If you have any questions, please hold them until I am finished talking, then I will answer," Naruto said, as the council perked up at this. They never really saw Naruto this serious during their meetings before. Something really must've been bugging him that he needed to do all the talking.

"First of all, the plans for Konoha are going to go on the backburner immediately. We have other serious matters to deal with first. As of yesterday, we had a recent sighting of an Akatsuki member near the border. It was Zetsu. We all know that they've been scouting us for some time now and they finally know who I am. It's only a matter a time before they strike. We need to focus our efforts on drawing them out and finally destroying them. I am putting Operation: Bijuu into effect immediately. So get your plans ready and have them on my desk before the day is over," Naruto said, looking in the direction of his generals.

"Secondly, I have been pondering this thought a bit, lately, but now I think we should start looking for some allies. Though we are powerful on our own, it is still useful to have others fighting with us. I have already thought of a few villages from the East that seem like good candidates, so I may be planning a short trip in the coming couple of weeks. Nami, I want to use some of the funds earned from the Festival towards the Akatsuki. I'm sure you can make it work," Naruto ordered. Nami nodded her head and jotted some notes down. Roy Mustang's hand went up to which Naruto held up his hand and shook his head, "I am almost done, Roy. Wait until after," Naruto directed as the Flame Alchemist put his hand back down.

"Lastly, you may not have seen her yet, but I have a new resident in my palace. She is from the East, more specifically, my former hometown. I know all of your reservations about the people from my former home, but she is different. She is the first of them, who I have offered to let stay here in the Empire. I do not want any of you to judge her, for she is earning her redemption here. With that being said, if you need anything for her to do, just give her the instructions and she will follow them. Okay, I am done. You can ask away now," Naruto huffed, leaning back in his seat to finally relax a little. Seeing as no one else was going to ask the first question, Roy Mustang stood up first.

"Okay Boss, referring to your point about alliances. Why do we have to have alliances with those from the East? I mean, we have all seen the people from your hometown, how do we know they these other villages aren't the same way?" he asked.

"First off, I have personally conducted missions to these certain villages when I was younger. I know the heads of these villages and they are not like the people from Konoha. Their hearts are pure and they do not resort themselves to stupidity. Secondly, one of these heads shares the same burden as I do. He grew up almost as I did, with almost everyone casting him aside because they thought he was the beast that he keeps locked away. Plus, I know he has been looking for me. In fact, they all have. They are not as strong as the other villages in the East, and without us, they will fall easily. With us, however, they would become a strong ally that would help us bring peace to the entire world," Naruto answered, as Mustang nodded his head in agreement. Next to stand was Kisame.

"You know Boss, even though we were former members of the Akatsuki, neither I nor Itachi knows where the Leader is. He was always directing us from the shadows, and we could never pinpoint his exact location. How are we going to find him? Wouldn't cutting him off destroy the rest of the group?" Kisame asked.

"Yes, it would, however, I want to draw them all out. They have a few members left that I would like to get rid of. Not to mention that they plan to get all of the Bijuu. Getting all the Bijuu here would force their hand. Not to mention if my friend agrees to our alliance, I know exactly where they will strike next. That is why Operation: Bijuu is a mission we cannot and will not fail," Naruto answered, the confidence evident in his voice.

"Then what about the girl? Won't she cause more problems? We shouldn't be putting more onto our plate. We have a lot as it is. I know you're all about second chances, but I think this will bring more harm than good," this time it was Jiraiya to speak up. Naruto turned around to look at the person he considered his grandfather and gave him a small nod of understanding.

"I know what you're getting at, Ero-Sennin. However, it must be done. Is it a risk? Sure. However, I do know that this is the right thing to do," Naruto said, as Jiraiya eyed his godson, trying to get a read on him. He had this feeling deep down, that something would happen. He did want to tell Naruto otherwise, but he understood Naruto's strong convictions about the situation. He would let it go for now.

"Anyone else?" Naruto asked. The council shook their heads, understanding the plans that needed to be done. "Ok good. This is meeting is adjourned then. You all have your assignments," Naruto said as everyone got up to leave the meeting.

"Oh actually, there is one more thing to discuss. I understand that there was a little bet going on this past week?" Naruto said as Nami was just about to exit the room. She kept on walking, pretending not to hear Naruto. Three shadow clones appeared in front of her, stopping her escape. Everyone chuckled at the sight. The three clones escorted Nami back into the council room to appear before Naruto.

"Seeing as though I didn't kill anyone this week, it seems that none of you won. So that means, I get the money. Fork it over, F-I-N-A-N-C-E M-I-S-T-R-E-S-S," Naruto teased, as Nami reluctantly took out her wallet. She always carried the cash on hand with her, counting and recounting just to be sure she didn't lose any of it. That's how obsessed she was. She handed the money pool over to Naruto who counted it and snickered a bit. "Pleasure doing business with you, Nami," he said as he walked out. Everyone else shook their heads at the sight, though Naruto was serious just a few minutes ago, he would always find time to amuse the rest of them.

**One Week Later- Konoha**

The Konoha envoy that was sent to the West finally returned home. They were battered and bruised, barely making it home under their own strength. A few of them even needed to be carried home, Sasuke included. He was still not able to walk and was immediately taken to the medical division for the treatment he badly needed. Danzo also needed to be carried back, as he still hadn't fully recovered from what Alucard did to him. That left only a few from the group being well enough to report. Asuma, Kurenai, and Shikamaru were summoned to the council room, where everyone was meeting.

Some council members had seen them return and were delighted. They didn't even notice that most of them were badly injured. They could care less about their appearance and just wanted the good news about getting their alliance with the West. Kakashi could do nothing to stop them and was forced to attend a council meeting he didn't even set up. When Asuma, Kurenai, and Shikamaru got there, Kakashi was about to be shocked at the developments.

"So how did it go?" Kakashi casually asked.

"Not so well," Asuma stated bluntly, shocking everyone in the council room.

"Just because you guys are worn out from the long journey, doesn't mean the trip didn't go well," a civilian council member spoke.

"I think the journey was the easiest part, actually," Shikamaru sarcastically said, causing his father to perk up at this. Something didn't feel right to him. He could see it on his son's face, there was something bad that happened and it would not be good.

"Well, that's good to hear. That means the Emperor must've driven a hard bargain on our terms. What did it cost us? I assume whatever else you offered, he accepted," Homura said, confident that they had gained the alliance with the West. He was just wondering where Danzo was.

"Oh, he drove a hard bargain alright. He declined any alliance with us," Kurenai spoke, causing some disbelief within the council room.

"No way! You're kidding! Why would anyone refuse an alliance with us?!" a few civilian council members said. The shinobi side just shook their heads.

"Hokage-sama, I am beginning to wonder if you chose the right people to go? Maybe some of these youth were not needed for the mission," Koharu said to which Kakashi just shrugged. The Copy Ninja knew that if the West didn't accept the terms, then Konoha was definitely doomed.

"It wouldn't have mattered who Hokage-sama sent, they wouldn't have gained an alliance either," Asuma said, causing everyone to look at him.

"What do you mean? I hope you allowed Danzo and the Uchiha-sama to talk as well. You know they are much better at diplomatic things than you are, Sarutobi," a woman council member spoke. More specifically, a Haruno.

"Yeah, I think that was the worse thing we allowed to happen. They were a big reason why we were nearly killed there," Kurenai retorted, wanting to put this pink-haired councilwoman in a heavy and dark genjutsu.

"What did they do?!" Kakashi said, his anger building a bit. Hearing the stupidity from the civilian council and now finding out that Danzo and Sasuke caused trouble only made it worse. He hoped they may be found Naruto so that he could finally leave this forsaken village.

"Well, they insulted the Emperor's wife first of all. I'm pretty sure Danzo called her a whore and Sasuke kept trying to get her to marry him. Then they insulted the Emperor and tried to challenge him for his throne. Not to mention that Kiba tried to attack the Emperor in his own home. Yeah, we can give you the details later Hokage-sama, just know that we didn't get an alliance, mostly cause of those idiots," Asuma explained.

"My son?! Is he okay?" Tsume Inuzuka asked as she stood up from her seat.

"He's fine. Just a little dehydrated and a bit flustered. The medics are taking care of him" Kurenai replied as Tsume breathed a sigh of relief and sat back down.

This entire meeting, Shikaku was very curious about just one thing. Like Shikamaru had done in the Emperor's throne room, Shikaku was running different scenarios of who the Emperor could be. He was starting to catch the subtle hints that Asuma, Kurenai, and his son were throwing out. He had come to his conclusion but hoped that it wouldn't be the case. Though he rarely spoke, he stood up and cleared his throat, which got the attention of the room.

"My only question is who is the Emperor? I mean, he must have a name. What does he look like underneath the Tengu mask?" Shikaku asked, prepared for the worst.

"He does have a name. It's a name we should all be familiar with. His appearance is similar to the Yondaime's almost I would say. He has this bright yellowish blonde hair. He has blue eyes. He also has these whisker marks on both sides of his cheeks. He is the holder of the strongest Bijuu known to mankind. He is the former Dead Last of Konoha. If you don't know where I'm going with this, I'm saying that the Emperor of the West is Uzumaki Naruto. The person we decided to banish for a traitor," Shikamaru explained. There was a silence that fell over the room. You could hear a pin drop because it was so quiet. Shikamaru then started the countdown in his head.

Three.

Two

One.

The council room went into a frenzy.

"No, it can't be!" a councilwoman yelled.

"What trickery is this! There is no way he could be the Emperor!" screamed another

The entire civilian council was going crazy as they couldn't believe that Uzumaki Naruto was the Emperor of the West. The shinobi council, on the other hand, could only chuckle a bit and shake their heads. Out of all the people that it could pull that feat off, it would be Naruto.

Kakashi was shocked. All this time, it was Naruto that was the Emperor of the West. The one that was defeating all of his classmates without breaking a sweat. The one he had been communicating with the entire time. Oh man, Naruto must've hated Kakashi right now. Naruto probably didn't forget that Kakashi was away during his banishment. He knew he should've followed his instincts and gone West. Now, they were on really bad terms.

It took quite a while for the chaos to die down in the council room. A few civilian council members had left, not wanting to hear any more of these ridiculous lies. They couldn't believe that the dead last was the Emperor. If anything, the shinobi that were sent were probably brainwashed and only thought they saw Naruto. These few council members would take matters into their own hands.

"By the way, Naruto also said that any shinobi from this village caught trespassing in the West would be killed on the spot. So don't think we will be able to try again with him," Kurenai said as many on the council knew that they were now doomed. Not only was Oto, Iwa, and Kumo a threat, but now the West was a threat. Some wondered which threat was worse, seeing no way they would survive a war, fighting those two enemies.

"I see. Well, thank you. Um, I'm not quite sure what our next course of action is, but I think we all should take a bit of a rest today. We will have our hands full in the future, so I think everyone should head home to prepare what they need to," Kakashi said as he dismissed the council. He could care less about what happens to them, knowing now that this was his chance to leave the village once and for all. As everyone was leaving, Asuma, Kurenai, and Shikamaru stayed. They told Kakashi that they had to tell him something and he directed them to his office. He placed a sound barrier seal, to ensure their conversation was private.

"How is he doing?" Kakashi asked before the other three could speak.

"He is doing well. He has a wife you know. You should be proud of him Kakashi," Kurenai spoke, smiling a bit.

"I would be proud If I was there with him. However, it seems like I won't be getting that chance any time soon," Kakashi said, sitting in his chair as he took a deep breath.

"Well, that's why we wanted to talk to you, Hokage-sama. Naruto has made it clear that he is going to destroy the village, however, there are a few lives that he believes are worth saving," Asuma said, causing Kakashi to perk up at this.

_**Flashback**_

_When he awoke, he thought he was in the afterlife. Asuma felt the large bump on the back of his head and put pressure on it. "Ah, shit!" he said. Well, he wasn't dead yet as he still felt the pain. _

"_I can assure you that you aren't dead yet, Shinobi. However, I would tread carefully. There are people here who don't like your kind very much," a higher-pitched voice told him from the shadows. The room they were in was very dark. However, Asuma could see the night sky from the smaller window. He could see the large shadow of the figure, but not its face. The room was very bare, having no furniture that he could see, but a few countertops and a couple of chairs. _

_There was a knock at the door and the figure went to open it. Asuma could make out that the figure wore large, steel armor. As the figure opened the door, there was a shorter figure there to greet it. _

"_What are you doing in here, Al? You were supposed to wait outside, not inside," said the shorter figure. Asuma could tell that the shorter person was his opponent earlier. _

"_Sorry Ed, I just wanted to see what he looked like!" Alphonse replied, to which Edward shook his head. _

"_Well, I guess it can't be helped.," he said as he turned to Asuma. "Let's go, Naruto wants to see all of them," Edward said as he walked towards Asuma. Both he and his brother helped him up and told him to follow them. "Don't worry, we aren't here to hurt you. Just don't do anything stupid in front of Naruto," Edward told him as they walked to a large room. There, Asuma saw his wife, Shikamaru, and Choji. He ran up to Kurenai and pulled her into a tight embrace._

"_Are you okay? Did they do anything to you?" he asked, to which Kurenai shook her head. _

"_I'm fine. In fact, Naruto's wife has been very gracious in allowing me to stay here in the palace. I tried to convince him to show mercy, but I'm not sure what's going to happen," Kurenai replied. Shikamaru and Choji were also wondering why they were here. All they remembered was being in the dungeons and Alucard doing something that made them unconscious. They woke up in separate rooms and were escorted to this room by a different fighter. It was very weird._

_Then, the door to the room opened, snapping them out of their thoughts. Naruto was the first to enter, followed by Jiraiya, Euphemia, Lelouch, Kisame, and Itachi. The Konoha shinobi were on guard, not knowing the intentions of the Uchiha or Kisame. _

"_You all don't need to be apprehensive to them. They are one of us now," Jiraiya said with a smile, noticing the Konoha shinobi's change in demeanor. Itachi just looked at them, thinking back to their first encounter while Kisame just smiled. He would love to have a go at it again._

"_Ha, I would love to see them try to do something," Kisame joked, causing some unrest from the Konoha group._

"_Enough Kisame. Ed, Al, Killua, Joe, you may leave us now. Thank you," Naruto said as the others did as they were told. When the room was finally just them, Naruto looked at the group and smiled a bit. _

"_First off, you all are here for a reason. A good reason I might add. Shikamaru and Choji, both of you stood up for me when we were younger. You guys never saw me as the Kyuubi reincarnate and for that, I will be forever grateful. My apologies, especially to you Choji, for having to go through a tough ordeal earlier today," Naruto said as he stepped forward to his former classmates. He stuck out his hand to Choji, who smiled in returned and reciprocated the gesture. _

"_No one should ever go through what you did, Naruto. I just wish I had done more as your friend," Choji said, which made Naruto smile. _

"_It is okay, Choji. You speaking up for me was more than enough," Naruto said as his attention turned towards Shikamaru. He stuck his hand out, to which the Nara also reciprocated._

"_The same goes for you, Shikamaru. Thank you for looking out for me," Naruto said as the Nara grinned a little._

"_Mendokuse. Of course. It is the most logical thing to do. You are our classmate and more importantly, our friend," Shikamaru said, which surprised Asuma. He didn't think his student had it in him to say something meaningful like that. _

"_For you, Sarutobi. I don't think your old man would like it if I killed his son, especially after all he did for me," Naruto said, as he turned around and looked at Asuma. _

"_I'm sorry for what I did, Naruto. My father always knew you would come around, and it was a mistake to doubt you. Thank you for sparing my wife and child. Even though I don't deserve your respect, you have mine to the fullest," Asuma said, as he bowed before Naruto._

"_Please, do not bow before me. I am not as old fashion as your father. Plus, it is not me that you should be thanking, but your wife. She has told me everything that has happened with all of you over the past years. It seems I have missed a lot. Which is why I have decided that not only will you all be spared, but also your families. There are still a few who are good in Konoha and I realize now that I do not want to kill innocent lives just to satisfy my thirst for revenge. That is where you all come in. I understand Kakashi is still the Hokage, yes? I would like you all to deliver a message to him from me. I do not care if he still cares for me or not, but I want you all to tell him that I will make him a deal before I destroy Konoha. If there is anyone who wants to come here and start a new life, we will allow them free passage. However, they will need to earn their status here. It will not be given to them," Naruto explained as the four Konoha shinobi nodded their heads in understanding. _

"_But the elders and the council would never allow that. It will be seen as mutiny and desertion," Shikamaru spoke up, knowing the positions that most of the Konoha 11 parents were on the shinobi council._

"_Let me worry about that, Shikamaru. Besides, I could care less if any of the civilians don't want to come. If they want to die in that village, then let them die. My only priority is helping those who deserve to be here, stay alive," Naruto said. _

"_What about Orochimaru? He is still a threat and his alliance with Iwa and Kumo grows stronger by the day," Asuma pointed out._

"_Again, let me worry about the specifics. I just want you to give Kakashi the heads up. Look, I know you all have very strong ties to Konoha. I did too. However, sometimes the status quo needs to be changed. Can you all honestly say that Konoha has gotten better ever since I was banished?" Naruto asked which came the quick reply of no from them._

"_Exactly. Which is why the village needs to be destroyed. The Will of Fire no longer burns there. The only thing burning is the will of corruption. I know full well who is behind it all, too. They will get there's soon enough," Naruto said. The other Konoha shinobi had to agree. Corruption was prevalent now in the village and it was getting harder to manage. Maybe a change of scenery would be good for them and their families. _

"_Now, I assume you will all do this right?" Naruto asked as they nodded their heads. "Good. Also, Kurenai, make sure to tell him about Hinata, too," Naruto reminded._

_**End Flashback**_

"Wait, what about Hinata?" Kakashi asked. As if on cue, Hiashi forced the door open, a visible look of worry on his face.

"Where is my daughter?! I just found out that she did not return with you all! What is the meaning of this?!" Hiashi asked as Kurenai was the one to answer him.

"She is being held in the West as compensation for Kiba's attack on the Emperor. According to Naruto, she also requested asylum in the West, which Naruto granted. This makes her a citizen of the West. Naruto made it perfectly clear that if we try to send anybody to the West, they will be killed on the spot," Kurenai explained, causing Hiashi to surprisingly breathe a sigh of relief.

He was very relieved that she was fine and doing well, yet, her being kept in the West would cause a serious situation, "While I am thankful that she is safe, we have other problems. The elders had already set up a wedding for this week. I can't do anything to stop this anymore. They have sent a squad to bring her back here. I have done all I can, but they won't listen. I have no control of my clan anymore," Hiashi said.

"Even as Hokage, I cannot do anything for you Hiashi. All I can do is hope and pray that Naruto has some mercy on your clan members. However, since you are here, I guess I will allow you to be let in on a little something," Kakashi said as they explained to Hiashi about Naruto's deal.

**Elsewhere in the Village- Danzo's Office**

Deep within the confines of the ROOT Anbu headquarters, Danzo laid back in his chair. He discharged himself from the hospital, not wanting to deal with them anymore. His wounds had yet to heal, but he was able to move around on his own. Both Koharu and Homura were with him, planning their next move. The information that Naruto was the Emperor of the West did not bode well for them. It could mean that the village would be destroyed in the near future. They needed to act fast if they wanted to keep their power.

Danzo had come up with a plan. They needed to cut the head of the snake off, immediately. Without Naruto, they thought the West would falter without their leader. Not to mention that they would take control of the Kyuubi and use it for themselves against the other villages. They clearly didn't think this through enough but were oblivious to the fact that this mission would fail, horribly. Danzo got a squad of his best ROOT Anbu led by Sai. The six of them would infiltrate the West under fake passports and sneak into the Palace. There, they would make sure to eliminate Naruto, his wife, and anyone else they found in the Palace.

They needed to make sure that the West would be without a leader for some time and maybe even cause another civil war. The ROOT Anbu had their orders and set out immediately. They left in the dead of night when no one was around. They gave the border guards the slip and headed for the direction of the West.

**A Week Later**

Naruto was currently on his alliance tour. He brought his entire special guard with him as he went to Wave and Spring country. The heads of those places were so happy to see him, thinking that he had died many years ago. Inari was especially happy to see Naruto, as he feared that he had ended up like his father and Kaiza. Naruto was able to catch up a bit and easily forged an alliance with Wave. He mentioned setting up a Merchant Shop and an Embassy so that communication between the two countries would be easier.

When Naruto got to Spring, Koyuki was equally as surprised to see that Naruto was now the Emperor of the West. He was able to easily get an agreement with her as well. Like Wave, Naruto was able to get Koyuki to agree to have a Merchant Shop and an Embassy in Spring.

Now it was on to Suna. Naruto had let Gaara know ahead of time that he was looking for an alliance with Suna. Gaara was very wary of this but had also heard of the rumors that Naruto was in the West. This would be his best chance to find his friend and hopefully, the Emperor had some answers.

When Naruto and his guard arrived in Suna, Temari was there to greet them. Naruto had decided that he would have a little bit of fun when talking with Gaara and his siblings, so he left his Tengu mask on. This made Temari very interested in what was hidden underneath the mask of the Emperor. She also noticed that there seemed to be something of a familiar aura around him. It was as if she met him before, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

It was already nightfall when they got there, so Temari showed them all to their quarters. She mentioned that their appointment with Gaara would be at 7 am, to which Naruto groaned a little on the inside. He was not a morning person and hated early meetings like those. However, he was a guest and it would need to be done regardless.

The next morning when the awoke, Naruto was immediately starving. He had hoped that they would get a bite to eat before their meeting and asked Temari if there were any ramen stands open that early in the morning. Temari was a bit thrown off by the question but mentioned that there was one ramen stand open. Naruto was ecstatic, as he hadn't had ramen in over 24 hours.

Funny enough, Gaara and Kankuro showed up to the ramen stand as well. Since they were up early, they decided that maybe they could get a head start on the negotiations over some food. No one was really awake yet in Suna at the time, so their negotiations would be private.

When Naruto ordered his ramen, he was so excited. However, he felt the stares of the Sand Siblings. They were watching him like hawks. All of them, including Gaara, wondered how he would eat ramen with his mask on. The mouth opening on the mask was a bit small and could barely fit any ramen through there. Naruto realized that the jig was up and took off the mask. He smiled as he turned to Gaara and his siblings.

"Yo Gaara," Naruto said.

"I knew it! I knew there was something familiar about you!" Temari yelled as Naruto chuckled a bit nervously.

"Ahaha, sorry but what is your name again?" he asked, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Ah! Nevermind. I'll give you a pass since it has been a while since we last saw each other," Temari said.

"Well, I'm glad to see you still alive Naruto," Kankuro said.

It was safe to say, that the meeting went extremely well. After they hashed out the important stuff, Gaara was curious as to what happened to Naruto all these years. Naruto got on to explaining everything to them as they moved their conversation to Gaara's office.

**The Western United Empire**

Both the Hyuuga group and the ROOT Anbu group made their way to the West. They had disguised themselves as either traders or ordinary townspeople looking for a new home. They were able to get past the Border samurai, who let them in without a problem. The two groups never realized that the other existed.

Unfortunately for both groups, they were being watched ever since they stepped foot onto the Western Lands. Rolo Lamperouge and Aikuro Mikisugi went to report to Kenpachi, who was very amused at the Konoha shinobi's blatant disregard for Naruto's threats.

"So they have decided to disobey. Naruto will be very happy when he hears about this," Kenpachi said as he laughed maniacally.

"Well, I can't wait to see what happens next."


	14. Finding Tsunade and More Problems

**Spoiler Alert: Just to make this clear to everyone, despite how the story goes, this is not a NaruHina. I actually never intended for this story to be NaruHina even in the original, but everyone seemed to jump to that conclusion. So just want to clear up that mystery and confusion.**

**Edit: Thank you for correcting me on Obito's ability. I don't know why I thought of Izanagi instead of Kamui. **

**Western United Empire**

It was now the dead of night in the Capital and though it was late, the streets were still bustling with people. The nightlife in the Capital was one of its best traits. There were thousands of people in the streets as they made their way to the nightlife district of the Capital. The countless number of bars and clubs could hold hundreds of people in them at a time. The biggest of these clubs was Jiraiya's Bunta Lounge.

The place is inspired by Gamabunta himself and was modeled after Jiraiya's personal summon. The Bunta Lounge is considered to be one of the must-go places for tourists. The club is huge as it is five stories tall. The first floor has the dance floor and bar area. There are two sets of bars on either side of the dance floor. The second floor has a Yukihira's, which is a favorite for people to eat after a long night of partying or even to get more energy. It also overlooks the dance floor. The third floor consists of the private lounges that the club offers. Usually, these lounges are reserved for VIPs or other important figures looking for a good time. It usually costs about a 1,000 ryo to reserve a private lounge, but it is worth it as it comes with personal food and drinks services. The fourth floor is an Icha Icha Tactics superstore. This store sells not only all of Jiraiya's Icha Icha Tactics books but also other merchandise that was created by Jiraiya. It's Disneyland for perverts. The fifth floor is the offices of Jiraiya and other employees. Jiraiya's office is quite large, having a few bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living area. It's a place where he can work and feel comfortable.

The Hyuuga shinobi and the ROOT Anbu who snuck into the West decided to try out the club. They wanted to try and fit in, hoping that it would add to their cover. They were amazed at the pure sight of the place itself. Konoha's nightlife couldn't even compare to this. They hoped when they completed their mission, they would come back here every night.

After exploring the Lounge for an hour or two, they decided it was time. Ironically, the two groups saw through each other's disguises and decided to team up. Both were surprised at the other being there but felt confident now that they had comrades that were undergoing a mission with them. They walked out of the Lounge and made their way to the Palace. Unbeknownst to them was a few people following their every move.

**Emperor's Palace**

They snuck past some of the Palace guards, who were ordered to not notice them, and made their way to the Palace. There, they decided to go their separate ways and move onto their respective assignments.

They noticed that the Palace was relatively empty. Sai had remembered the last time they were there, that there were samurai guards all over the Palace. In fact, earlier that day, Euphemia had sent home most of the guards from their duties. She had not heard about the Konoha shinobi entering yet and decided to give the guards some time off. It was a slow day and there really wasn't much to do.

However, once word about the trespassers got to her, she decided to completely empty the Palace. Only Walter, Lelouch, and Erza Scarlet were left. Though she was advised to leave by Lelouch, she refused. She knew that no harm would come to her and that she would be perfectly safe. She mentioned that it was her house and that if anyone tried to break in, then they would be slaughtered without warning. Lelouch decided not to argue and let the situation be. Euphemia seemed to have an idea up her sleeve and was calling an audible. Something that she had started to pick up from her husband.

Nunnally, on the other hand, was not given the choice. She was moved to one of their smaller homes on the other side of the village. She went with Cornelia, Kallen, and Hiei.

Hinata was not told about the situation because they didn't want to cause her any alarm. Though, Lelouch had Yoko Kurama on guard for her. They then went on with business as usual, not causing any alarm.

The ROOT Anbu led by Sai had made their way through an open window on the second floor of the Palace. They couldn't believe how unguarded the place was. Sai felt uneasy about it but decided to carry on the mission. They didn't really know where they were going and entered a long hallway. As they traveled down, they were careful not to make any noise. As they got to the end of it, they ran into some trouble.

Lelouch spotted them on his way to bed. Walter was behind him as the ROOT Anbu took a defensive stance. Lelouch just shook his head,

"You guys have to be the stupidest enemy we've faced so far. You literally listened to nothing Naruto said. He's going to love this. Walter, I'm off to bed. You can take care of this. Make sure to keep one alive. Oh and make sure to not get blood on the walls. Euphie will be very upset about that," Lelouch said as he made his way to his room. Walter nodded and bowed as he turned to the Konoha shinobi.

"Sai, who is this guy?" one of the ROOT members asked.

"He's just their ordinary butler. There isn't anything special about him," Sai said as Walter smiled.

"Why I am disappointed to hear that, Sai. I thought I was very polite the last time you were here," Walter said.

"Shut it, Grandpa. Hurry up. Let's finish this guy and continue the mission," another ROOT Anbu said. Before he could even take another step, the Anbu was cut into three pieces. He never even saw what hit him, literally. His blood spattered everywhere. It got on not only the walls but also on the nice carpet. Walter just shook his head in disappointment,

"You see, if you didn't show up, I wouldn't have to clean this mess," he said.

The other ROOT members took their stance as Walter started to dance his wires around from his hands. They were in a hallway, which didn't give much space for them to move around. Another member was struck down as the Anbu were curious as to how they were being attacked. They couldn't see the microfilament wires coming from Walter's hands. They tried to back out from the hallway, but Walter wouldn't let them get away that easily. He pulled them back and let loose his wires. The group was easily struck down, but Walter made sure to leave Sai alive. Sai tried to give up and hope that the butler would show him some mercy, however, Walter was having none of it. He cut off both of Sai's arms and the Konoha Anbu screamed in pain. He was eventually tied up and knocked out by Walter, who lamented at his new predicament. Having to wash the floors and walls now of the ROOT Anbu blood. It would be a very long night for him.

Meanwhile, the Hyuuga members were not having a better time. Their orders were originally to bring Hinata back home alive. However, they took it upon themselves and added that if she resisted, then they would kill her to ensure that the Byakugan didn't fall into the wrong hands. They were exploring the downstairs of the Palace on the opposite wing of where Naruto and his family slept. They weren't sure if Hinata was even in the building, but decided to try. They used their Byakugan and spotted a familiar chakra signature. They assumed it was Hinata. They then ran into a redheaded man, who seemed to be guarding the corridor that led to some rooms. The Hyuuga assumed that Hinata had to be in one of them.

"I see the fun has just arrived," Kurama said as he observed the Hyuuga's. They didn't look like much to him. They Hyuuga observed him, noticing that he carried just a rose with him. They thought he would be easy.

"Either you show us where Hinata Hyuuga is or move aside. We will not ask again. If you do not comply, we will use force," the leader of the group said which made Kurama laugh almost manically. As if these imbeciles could do anything to him.

"Save your breath, Hyuuga. If you want me, come and get me," Hinata said, coming out of her room and standing beside Kurama. The Yoko was very surprised at this. He thought she was asleep and that he would handle things on his own. Hinata had heard the commotion outside and used her Byakugan to look through the walls. She noticed that it was Hyuuga clan members in the Palace. Something didn't seem right, so she decided to act. Kurama was impressed at the girl's confidence. He smiled at her, though deep down he wondered if this was okay to let her do this with him.

"Hinata Hyuuga, you have been ordered by the elders of the Hyuuga clan to return to Konoha immediately. You are to be wedded to Sasuke Uchiha under the order of the Clan Restoration Act. If you do not comply, we will have to use force," the leader explained which this time made Hinata laugh.

"As I said before, if you want me to return, you will have to make me," Hinata said as she readied herself for battle. The Hyuuga was hesitant at first but realized that they couldn't fail their mission. They took their gentle fist stance and went on the offensive. They split up, hoping to overcome their opponents with their numbers. The three to face Kurama however, were very unlucky. They were easily dispatched with his thorn whip and were cut into tiny pieces. Walter would have a lot more cleaning to do.

Hinata, on the other hand, was having some success but a bit of trouble as well. She had managed to knock out one of the Hyuuga members. However, the leader of the group and another were giving her a bit of a hard time. She retreated into the corridor, hoping the small space would be to her advantage and prevent the two Hyuuga from teaming up on her. It seemed to work and while she held her own, she was still a bit outmatched. Luckily, Kurama arrived just in time to pull one of them off of her. While Kurama dealt with him, Hinata focused on the leader.

Hinata was able to hold her own against the leader, which caused him to get frustrated. He pulled out a kunai, it was dripping with some type of liquid, but Hinata hardly noticed it. She pulled out a kunai as well and they continued their fight. The leader was able to get some slashes onto Hinata which injured her, but she was able to continue the fight for a few moments.

However, Hinata started to notice that her chakra was shutting down. She was getting sluggish and was losing her strength. She dropped down to a knee, which gave the leader an opening to land a kick which made Hinata drop her kunai. The kick forced her back and she had trouble getting up. Her body was now very weak and she was starting to fade in and out of consciousness. She stumbled as she stood up, escaping to her room for some cover. The leader followed her and cornered her. She used the dresser in her room as leverage to regain her balance. She was doing everything she could to try and defend herself. With the leader closing in, Hinata found another kunai on her dresser. She put some chakra into it so that she would have a fighting chance of defending herself. She swung wildly, trying to keep the leader back.

She wasted the last of her energy and dropped down to the floor. She was fading in and out of consciousness now. Though her vision was blurry, she could see the Hyuuga ready to give the final blow. She tried to cry out for Kurama, but she didn't have a voice. She prayed to kami that this wouldn't be the end. That she wouldn't be separated from Naruto so quickly.

Before she closed her eyes however, a bright flash appeared before her. She couldn't even look up but knew it had to be him.

"Naruto-kun," she thought as she finally passed out.

Naruto had arrived in Kyuubi Chakra Mode and he was pissed. He noticed that Hinata had put some chakra into a Hiraishin kunai that he had left for her. Every person who lived in the Palace had one. He had just forgotten to mention it to Hinata. He appeared before the leader in Hinata's room. The leader trembled in fear as he saw Naruto. The Emperor immediately charged a Rasengan into the leader which killed him instantly. He stepped outside to see Kurama finishing off the last Hyuuga intruder.

The Yoko immediately ran to Naruto and slightly bowed. Naruto yelled for his wife and brother-in-law. His yell was heard throughout the entire Palace. Euphemia, Erza Scarlet, Lelouch, and Walter rushed to where Naruto was. He did not have a happy look on his face. Euphemia tried to not make eye contact, but she could feel Naruto's initial gaze directed at her.

"Walter, get her to Chopper immediately! Kurama, you and Erza go and wake up Ero-sennin. He has some work to do with Sai." Naruto ordered as the butler picked Hinata up and ran as fast as he could to the Hospital.

"I don't get paid enough to do this job," the butler thought as he dashed away with Kurama and Erza in tow. Naruto then directed his attention to his wife and brother-in-law. He was still in Kyuubi Chakra Mode.

"Now somebody better give me a damn good reason on why this house is nearly empty, yet there are dead bodies here and in the other wing," Naruto started as Euphemia stepped forward to explain.

"Dear, I was only-," she started when she was cut off. Naruto raised his hand. Though he wanted an answer, any explanation he got would've only made him more pissed. He needed some time to cool off.

"You two better call everyone right now and clean this shit up! I will be back first thing in the morning and this place better be the way it was when I left. Am I clear?" Naruto said as Euphemia and Lelouch just nodded. He then Hiraishined away, which made Euphemia and Lelouch scramble to clean up the mess.

**The Next Morning**

The Palace was spotless. Euphemia and Lelouch spent the entire night cleaning up. They got anyone who would wake up to help them. It was the first time that they actually feared Naruto and what he would do. He was unpredictable and a serious situation like this was something they were not used to.

As promised, Naruto returned home first thing in the morning with his special guard. He had gotten the alliance with Suna and was pleased with it. Yet, now he would have to deal with an even more serious matter.

The first thing he did was go to Jiraiya. Though the Toad Sannin managed to remove the mark on Sai's tongue, the Anbu member was not speaking. He wanted them to kill him, in order for him to keep the secrets he kept from getting into the wrong hands.

"You sure you want to do it the hard way Sai?" Naruto asked as Sai was very adamant about it.

"Do your worst Naruto. You will never get anything out of me," Said retorted back.

"Yeah, we'll see about that," Naruto said as Alucard entered the room. Sai's face immediately changed from that of confidence to fear. It took Alucard less than a few minutes to get Sai to speak and he boy, did he speak. He told Naruto everything he wanted to know and then some. Naruto was very pleased with the outcome.

"You just wanted to do it the hard way, huh? Man, if only you weren't brainwashed by that old man then you wouldn't be in this mess. We could've been the best of friends. Oh well. Sometimes you can't help it. Maybe in another lifetime, we can be friends," Naruto said as Sai couldn't even look him in the eye. Naruto exited as both Alucard and Jiraiya followed.

"I would like to mention Naruto, that the old man that was here with them also has some interesting things about him," Naruto perked up at this and he didn't like where it was going.

"The old man isn't as handicapped as it seems. He has a Sharingan in his left eye and many others on his arm. It also seems that his arm comes from your first Hokage's cells. Though I don't think he can use his abilities, it gives him great regenerative abilities," Alucard explained.

"Sharingans? But how?" Jiraiya asked.

"Beats me. But there are plenty of them embedded into him. I think that's why he keeps himself bandaged up. To protect his little secret," Alucard said.

Naruto was starting to fume, "Why are you only telling me this now?! Why didn't you tell me when they were here?" he asked.

"It was not my place. I thought you would be able to figure it out," Alucard retorted.

"That isn't your place?! That's your fucking job!" Naruto screamed as the vampire just held his hand up as a concession.

"Sometimes if you want things done, you just have to do them yourself," Alucard said as he walked away. Though he was very loyal to Naruto, Alucard wanted to teach the young Emperor that nothing is ever given to him just because he's the most powerful figure on the planet. Also being a free spirit like Naruto, Alucard wanted to see what course of action the Emperor would take next.

Naruto, on the other hand, was not happy at all. He decided he would go to Chopper to check on Hinata's status. It couldn't get much worse than what had already transpired earlier.

**Western Empire Hospital**

"What do you mean she's dying?!" Naruto asked Chopper.

Yup. The situation could get much worse. Euphemia, Lelouch, Nunnally, Itachi, Teuchi, Ayame, and Miu met Naruto and Jiraiya at the hospital.

"It means just that Naruto. She has been infected with some type of poison. The slashes she received shows evidence of a large amount of poison entering her body," Chopper said as Naruto looked puzzled.

"So why can't you just give her an antidote or take the poison out of her?" Naruto asked.

"It's not that simple Naruto. Whatever this poison is, it's attacking her chakra system. Now I am not familiar with the chakra system like you. I need to do my research on it to ensure that I'm not endangering her life. If I were to operate and make one little mistake, she could die!" Chopper explained.

"What about Trafalgar? Can we recall him from his assignment?" Naruto asked. Chopper shook his head.

"No can do. He would be at least a week's journey away and that's a generous prediction," Chopper responded.

"How long does she have?" Naruto asked.

"I give her about a week, maybe a little bit more if I can find some type of antidote. I can slow down the process, but I won't be able to fully cure her. I placed her in a medically induced coma for now. She will wake in a couple of days. However, after those couple of days, it's anybody's guess as to what will happen to her. I will do all I can, but it's going to take a miracle to save her. If you know anyone that can help, I highly recommend you send them to me. I'll need all the help I can get with this one," Chopper said as he returned to his studies. Naruto just took a step back to think over the situation.

Meanwhile, during this entire ordeal, Jiraiya wanted to tell Naruto he told him so. Letting the Hyuuga girl stay was a mistake, yet Naruto did it anyways. He went against common sense and look where it got everyone. However, he wouldn't be the one to tell Naruto that, knowing that Naruto would have some kind of plan. Jiraiya eyed his godson, who was in deep thought.

Naruto snapped out of it as he looked at his godfather, "You want to say I told you so, huh?" Naruto asked as Jiraiya just shrugged.

"That will not help our current situation. You got something on your mind, Gaki? If you do, you better hurry or your friend here will not have much more time on this earth," Jiraiya said as Naruto nodded. The young Emperor walked out of the room and made his way back to the Palace to think.

A few hours later, Euphemia carefully entered the room. Naruto was sitting near the window, looking out at the Capital. He would sometimes do this when he wanted to think. He didn't even notice Euphemia enter the room until she wrapped her arms around his chest. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and dragged him into bed. It was around noon, yet both Emperor and Empress already felt that they had gone through a full day's worth of work.

They just laid there, staring at the ceiling. Naruto was not in a talking mood and really wanted to be alone. However, he could not refuse his wife, especially after yelling at her last night.

"I'm sorry Euphie about last night. I did not mean to yell at you like that," Naruto said, turning to his wife. She placed a hand on his cheek as she kissed him on the lips.

"I should be the one apologizing, Naruto. I'm the one that gave the order to have the Palace relatively empty. I thought that we could handle it. I know I broke protocol, but I just had this feeling that everything would be okay and now it's not because Hinata is dying and I put everyone in such a shitty situation," she said as Naruto took her hand and kissed her palm to calm her down.

"Do not worry, Euphie. She will pull through. Besides, I had been thinking for a while now and I think I have a possible solution to help her," Naruto said as Euphemia perked up a little at this.

"But how? You're not a doctor," she said.

"I'm not, but my baa-chan is. She knows the chakra system better than anyone. She could probably heal Hinata in no time. It's just, I'm not sure where I would find her. It has been a while since I've last seen her and I'm not sure how happy she'll be to see me," Naruto said as he looked a little down.

"I'm sure if she's family she will be more than happy. You have to take that chance, Dear," Euphemia said as she lifted Naruto's chin up a bit.

"I know. It's just, I don't know where to start. No one has seen or heard from her in over six years. Not even Jiraiya has been in contact with her and he practically drools over her all the time," Naruto said as the situation was getting even more complicated the more he thought of it.

"Dear, we have the best spy network on the planet. I'm sure we will find her. However, you have to go immediately, because getting her here soon will be a great help for Chopper," Euphemia said as Naruto agreed. However, he mentioned that there was one thing he needed to do before he set out to find Tsunade.

**Later that Evening - Konoha**

Hiashi Hyuuga was pacing the halls of the Hyuuga compound. He was nervous. He hadn't slept in days. The group that the elders had sent should've gotten to the West by now. He didn't know if they were killed immediately or managed to slip past Naruto's guards and potentially harm Hinata. There was this uneasy feeling that Hiashi felt, especially after his daughter decided to stay West. After Kakashi told him of Naruto's plans, he almost wanted to accept it immediately. He too was getting tired of the village and his clan. He had wondered when all of this corruption started to fill the once-powerful village.

As he was pacing, he heard the sound of a branch snapping. He found it odd, seeing as though it was a calm evening. It was really dark tonight, especially with the moon hiding behind the thick clouds that were starting roam over Konoha.

Before he knew it, Hiashi was whisked away in a flash. He had no time to react as he was started to get hit left and right from an unknown assailant. He tried to get out of the stranger's grip, but it was to no avail. Only when his captor opened his mouth, did he know who it was.

"Really?! Your own daughter Hiashi? You're so into keeping your bullshit clan respected that you would even harm your own daughter?!" Naruto said as Hiashi worst fears had been realized.

"No! N-Naruto I, please let me explain," he said struggling in the Jinchuuriki's grip.

"You think I'm going to let you explain what you did to Hinata? You're out of your damn mind old man," Naruto snapped back as he broke Hiashi's arm at the elbow. The Hyuuga leader screamed in pain, though no one would be hearing them.

"N-N-Naruto, please. I-I-I would never harm Hinata. S-she's my d-daughter. I-I would never stoop so low to harm her," Hiashi said as he kept struggling to break free.

"Do not lie to me, Hiashi. I hope you realize I know when someone is lying to me or not," Naruto retorted.

"I-It's true, Naruto. I-I-It was the elders who ordered it. I-I-I tried to s-stop them, b-but I have no control over my clan anymore," Hiashi squeaked out as the pain was starting to take its toll on his body. He was starting to go in and out of consciousness. Naruto realized that the old man was telling the truth and decided to put the Hyuuga out of his misery for the moment. He knocked him out and returned him to his room. He would let him deal with his injuries later. Plus, he had a couple more places to visit.

Koharu was visiting Homura to discuss the events that were to take place soon. They both were on edge about the success of the mission they helped put together to take down Naruto and the West. Homura was starting to make some tea when there was a knock at the door. They both wondered who it could be, especially at this time of night.

Homura walked over to the door to open it. When he did, he stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet and onto his butt. Koharu wondered what the commotion was and turned around. She nearly fainted at the sight.

Naruto was standing at the door, a menacing grin on his face. He lucked out finding two of the elders under the same roof. It would save him the trouble of having to kill them separately.

"N-N-N-N-N-Naruto," Homura managed to squeak out. The elder managed to get to his feet, though he could barely move. Naruto's aura was very powerful.

"I know you two had a hand in sending that Anbu squad to my house last night. I'm pretty sure I made myself clear when I said that anyone from Konoha who sets foot in my country will be struck down. Well, I see you two decided to not adhere to those threats. So I've decided to take things into my own hands," Naruto said as he quietly closed the door behind him.

"W-W-W-What a-a-are you going t-to d-do N-N-N-Naruto," Koharu asked as she was stuck in fear.

"What am I going to do? Ha! Something I should've done long ago," Naruto said as he threw a kunai at Homura at lightning speed.

It hit its mark with complete precision. The kunai impaled the elder right through the head. Homura had no time to react. Naruto then teleported to the kunai, took it out of the elder's head, and then threw it at Koharu. Before it reached her, he teleported to the kunai and grabbed it. He then proceeded to stab her in the chest very slowly. He inched closer to her heart and never took his eyes off of her. Koharu was trembling in fear that she didn't even realize that she was being stabbed. This made Naruto chuckle.

"Isn't this ironic? The two of you helped vote for my father to become Hokage and now you'll be killed by the son he died to protect and the son that you tried to kill. I wonder what he would think of you two. You can explain all of this to him before you make your way to hell. Now die you old hag," Naruto said as he reached Koharu's heart. He put tremendous force into the kunai and Koharu died instantly, dropping to the floor.

Before Naruto left the house, he decided to light it up. He wanted to cover up his tracks just a bit and make the scene look like an accident. He placed both elders on the couch and lit a fire using the tea kettle. When the house went up in flames, the fire division and other rescue personnel came to assist. However, Naruto was long gone by that time. He had one more stop, then he would return home to start his search for Tsunade.

When Naruto was done, he teleported back to his bedroom, where Euphemia was fast asleep. He told her to not wait up for him as he didn't know when he would be back. Naruto needed to shower quickly to get the blood off of him. When he was finished, he jumped into bed. He kissed Euphemia on the forehead, which caused the Empress to stir a little. She turned to him and rested her head on his chest. Naruto closed his eyes for a moment and the next thing he knew, he was out.

**A few Hours Later- Konoha**

Kakashi was awakened to the news that Homura's house had caught fire. Rescue crews had managed to extinguish the blaze but made a grizzling discovery when they found the charred bodies of what looked like Homura and Koharu. The initial report was that the two had forgotten about the tea kettle which somehow caught on fire. It was deemed accidental. Kakashi was very wary about this. Though the two elders were older, they were not incompetent. Well, they were incompetent in doing their jobs, but not in functioning with everyday life. Kakashi wanted a further investigation of the matter.

He got to his office, deciding that since he wasn't going to get much more sleep he might as well start the day with some peace and quiet. However, the peace and quiet only lasted for a few seconds.

Danzo kicked the door in, holding a scroll. He looked furious and Kakashi didn't have the slightest clue why.

"What can I do for you, Danzo?" the Copy Nin asked not happy to see the ROOT leader at all.

"I want that boy dead Kakashi! He needs to pay for his actions! Look what he did to my prized student," Danzo said as Kakashi deduced who the "boy" Danzo was referring to. Danzo then opened the scroll, which contained Sai's head.

The Anbu's face seemed to suggest that he had gone through some excruciating torture before being executed. Sai's face showed pure agony and pain. His tongue was cut out and words like "Idiot", "Weak" and "Useless" were written on his face. Upon further investigation, Sai's mouth contained a letter. Kakashi took out the letter and started to read it,

_Dear Hokage,_

_I regret to inform you that several members of your Hyuuga clan and Anbu are dead. They have unfortunately failed in their attempt on not only my life but also of my family's life and the life of one Hyuuga Hinata. I believe I made it perfectly clear that I would kill any Konoha shinobi who stepped foot in my country. I see that you have decided to disobey that order. I tried to be diplomatic about the situation, but I see that it was a mistake. Konoha will soon feel the wrath of the United Western Empire. Mark my words, your days are numbered._

_Sincerely,_

_Uzumaki Naruto_

_Emperor of the United Western Empire_

Kakashi was furious.

"You disobeyed a direct order! Now, look where it has gotten us. Naruto is going to destroy this village and many innocent people all because of you and those damn Hyuuga!" Kakashi spoke to Danzo, who refused to back down.

"We were only doing what was best for the village. That Demon Brat is a threat to not only us but civilization as we know it. He needs to be put down," Danzo answered back.

"I think you need to be put down! Naruto only became a threat because of you and the stupid civilian council. You all turned him into the threat. You should be the one blamed for putting us in this mess!" Kakashi yelled.

"You better be careful with your words Kakashi. You better know where your loyalties lie. You are a shinobi of Konohagakure. Do not let your feelings for the boy interfere with your job," Danzo snapped back.

"You do not get to tell me where my feelings may lie, elder. By the way, you will refer to me as Hokage-sama. As the leader of this village, I have earned that right," Kakashi said.

"You have earned nothing. In fact, the village has only grown weak under your guidance. You are not fit to be Hokage any longer. I hereby challenge you, for the title and position of Hokage," Danzo said.

"I've had enough of this. Anbu! Arrest elder Shimura for attempts to mutiny against the Hokage!" Kakashi ordered as two Anbu appeared out of the shadows. They restrained Danzo and took him away as the elder tried to struggle to break free.

"You're making a big mistake, Kakashi!" Danzo shouted as the Anbu took him away.

Kakashi just sighed. This position only got a lot harder now. He wished that he could just leave and be done with this hellhole of a village. However, he knew he needed to wait for word from Naruto when they were ready to move forward. He prayed that it would be soon since he couldn't take much more of this shit.

**The Next Morning**

Naruto was awake early. It was only 7 am, yet he was already in his office waiting for a specific group of people. He hated waking up at this time, but it needed to be done. A knock came at the door and entered the group he was waiting for.

Jiraiya, Itachi, Yusuke, and Saitama entered Naruto's office. They were handpicked by Naruto to accompany him on his mission to find Tsunade. The four knew the importance of this mission and how much it meant to Naruto to see his friend survive.

Jiraiya had mentioned that Tsunade had been last seen frequenting the outskirts of Fire Country near the Oto border. The place was known for its illegal gambling halls and casinos, which made it a haven for someone like Tsunade. Naruto figured that it would be the first place they looked. They would Hiraishin to Spring Country, where they would then make the days trip to the border. Naruto was surprised that Tsunade would even entertain the idea of being that close to Oto. Knowing the threat of Orochimaru and his alliance, Tsunade was taking a big risk.

The group immediately set off for Spring Country. They Hiraishined there and started their journey. They bypassed Konoha scouts and other enemy parties that may have been on the lookout for them. When they got to their destination, it was relatively late. It was about 2 or 3 in the morning, yet the casinos were booming with business.

Naruto figured that he would send out some clones and track her. Until then, they were to wait for any word back. They booked a room for the evening and decided to get some rest.

After a few hours, the sun was just about rising. A loud booming sound could be heard coming a few miles away. This woke the group as they looked outside to see what was going on. A large dust cloud could be seen swirling into the air. Whatever was happening had to be of epic proportions. Naruto felt a clone disperse and immediately knew that it was Tsunade. Naruto told the group that he had found her and they needed to move quickly.

They got to a large open field, where Tsunade seemed to be in a bit of a bind. She looked a little beat up as she stood on Katsuyu's head. Shizune was laying down next to her unconscious. Tsunade was using a smaller Katsuyu to heal some of her wounds. Across from her, stood a large, purple snake. On top of the snakes head, stood Orochimaru, who was grinning from ear to ear. It looked like he had gained a bit of an upper hand in the battle.

"Tssssunade, it is futile to keep on fighting me. Join me and together I can give you everything you ever wanted in this world," the Snake Sannin was telling her.

"As if I would ever join you! I am not a pawn in whatever game you're playing, Orochimaru," Tsunade snapped back.

"Now, now Tssssunade, don't be like that. I know that you still haven't found young Naruto yet. I, on the other hand, know where he is at this very moment. If you join me, I can take you to him. I'm sure he'll be very happy to see the person who banished him from Konoha," Orochimaru chastised.

"I swear if you have done anything to him, I will end you," Tsunade threatened as Orochimaru manically chuckled.

"Well, it looks like you'll just have to find out," Orochimaru said as Manda swooped in to attack. He wrapped himself around Katsuyu and squeezed. Katsuyu then exploded into tiny versions of herself to get out of the hold. Tsunade tried to punch Manda, but the snake summons then surfaced underground. Orochimaru appeared behind her and kicked her. She managed to just deflect the kick, but she was still sent flying. Manda then appeared from underground and was prepared to attack. As Tsunade braced herself, she heard the loud crashing of the snake as its head struck the ground. She opened her eyes to see that a tanto was sticking into Manda's head. She then saw the person she had been looking for these past six years on top of it, grinning at her.

Naruto had swooped into action. He had summoned Gamakichi and used his tanto to impale Manda. He then jumped down to greet his baa-chan.

"N-Naruto?" Tsunade wondered.

"Ohayoo Baa-chan. Long time no see," Naruto said as he smiled at her. He then turned his attention to Orochimaru, who was equally as surprised as Tsunade when Naruto made his appearance.

"Well, I see some an unexpected visitor has arrived," Orochimaru said as Naruto confronted him.

"I could say the same thing," Naruto replied.

"So-," Orochimaru started, but Naruto didn't give the Snake any time to finish his sentence. He threw a kunai at him and attacked quickly. Orochimaru barely had time to react and dodged the kunai. He jumped to the side, only to be met by a Kage Bunshin. He kicked Orochimaru, sending the Sannin back Naruto's way. He managed to substitute himself and leaped back over to Manda. He realized that Naruto had gotten strong, a lot stronger from before. He was very interested now in how this would play into his plans.

They fought for another ten minutes, with Naruto gaining the upper hand, but only by a little. Orochimaru was fighting on the defensive and was trying to avoid the knock out hit. Naruto was about charged up a Rasengan to finish him off when the sounds of what seemed like clapping could be heard.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

It was a slow, condescending clap. Everyone turned to see the new figure on the battlefield. The figure had an orange spiral mask on and donned the Akatsuki cloak. Naruto's group immediately got in guard, as they noticed that the figure was a member of the Akatsuki.

"**Oi, Gaki. I have a bad feeling about this person. I think he may be the one who was controlling me when I attacked Konoha," **Kurama said from inside. Naruto immediately changed targets as he observed the person.

"Well, well, it seems like you've made quite a scene here," the figure said. This gave ample time for Orochimaru to ditch the scene, getting the tanto out of Manda, and jumping in his mouth. He seemed to know who the person was and was in no condition to even try and fight him. Manda burrowed underground and they left the scene.

Back to the figure, he kept walking towards the group. Naruto activated his Kyuubi Chakra Mode as the figure stopped.

"He's controlling the Kyuubi, isn't he? This is very interesting," he thought.

"Who are you?" Jiraiya asked as the figure just laughed.

"I am, whoever you want me to be," he replied. Naruto was on him immediately and tried to punch the figure, only to pass right through him. He was stunned that this happened and blocked the figures attempt to punch back. He jumped back to the group as the figure wagged a finger at him.

"**Gaki! It's him! He is the one that controlled me. He is the one that released me from your mother," **Kurama said with confidence. Naruto straightened his posture at this, as the figure saw right through him.

"So has the beast told you who I am? I see by your reaction that he's told you all about me," the person said.

"It was you. You were the one that my father fought. You were the one that controlled the Kyuubi the night I was born," Naruto replied, which shocked both Jiraiya and Tsunade.

"Yes it was I. Actually, I guess since now you know who I am, let me properly introduce myself," the figure said as he took off his mask. The right side of his face had scars on it. He had a Sharingan in his right eye as well. His left eye possessed the Rinnegan. His hair was a bit long and spiky.

"My name is Uchiha Obito. The most powerful Uchiha the world will ever see," he said as Jiraiya and Itachi were shocked by this.

"Obito? You were Minato's student. It was you this whole time? I thought you were dead?" Jiraiya asked. Naruto was growing furious. His father's student was the one that caused all of this.

"People thought I was dead. However, it seems the Will of Fire still burns within me," Obito replied with a grin on his face.

"You! You are the cause of all of this. You are the one that murdered my parents and put me in this situation!" Naruto yelled as Obito shrugged it off.

"Please spare me the sob story. Your parents killed themselves. If Sensei wasn't so stubborn and had given me what I wanted, they both might still be alive right now," Obito said.

"After all they did for you, this is how you repaid them? By killing them and trying to harm their son!" Jiraiya said.

"I am not their murderer! That Gaki is! Sensei and Kushina treated me as if I was one of their own and I am forever grateful for that, however, their death is their own fault. They paid with their lives for trying to protect that Gaki. If anything, their own son was the one that killed them," Obito explained, trying to place the blame on everyone else but him.

"Don't you dare spit on their actions! That's what a parent is supposed to do. They are supposed to protect their child at all costs, even if it means with their life," Tsunade butted in.

"Hmmph. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Sensei was the Hokage of the village. He was way more important than some child that was just born. He and Kushina could've had other children, but no, they had to go out of their way to protect him," Obito said, pointing at Naruto. Naruto clenched his fist. The person who was responsible for killing his parents was talking down upon them and was making into their fault they were dead.

"So what you're telling me is that it is my parent's fault for trying to protect me? That they should've just given you the Kyuubi so that you could do whatever you wanted with it? After they treated you like one of their own, you still refuse to acknowledge your actions?" Naruto asked as Obito smirked. He thought that the young Emperor was starting to finally get it.

"Exactly. Now you're starting to get it," he said. Naruto shook his head.

"You have no remorse for my parent's deaths?" Naruto asked.

"Not one bit. Like I said before, they killed themselves. To be honest, If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't change a damn thing," Obito said as he made an evil smile directed right at Naruto.

That was the final straw. Naruto lept into action, littering the area with Hiraishin kunai. It forced Obito to react quickly. However, every attack Naruto made passed right through his opponent. Obito also was putting some good distance between them, always staying outside of Naruto's range. After a while, Naruto grew frustrated.

However, he started to see a pattern. He was beginning to figure out how his opponent was working. He finally figured it out and cooked up a plan. He threw his kunai at his opponent at blazing speeds and then jumped at Obito. Obito was prepared for it, ready to use his Kamui. He was about to reach for Naruto when the Emperor disappeared. Naruto appeared on top and had prepared a Rasengan. He tried to attack, but his Rasengan passed right through Obito again. The Uchiha realized that this was the same trick that the boy's father had used. He would not fall for it again. Once Naruto passed, Obito caught him and slammed him into the ground, not noticing that Naruto had managed to touch his foot with his palm. Then, Naruto went poof.

It was a clone and Obito wondered where the real Naruto went. As he looked around, he saw that the real one hadn't moved an inch from where he was previously standing. Out of nowhere, Saitama appeared next to him and punched him. Obito was sent flying into a rock wall that was nearby. He wondered why he didn't see the bald hero before. As he got up, he saw Yusuke pointing a finger gun at him.

"**Spirit Gun!" **Yusuke fired a shot and Obito prepared another Kamui. However, this time, the beam of light connected and hit Obito. The shot went in and out of the Uchiha. His right arm had started to melt as he looked perplexed at what just occurred.

"Isn't Fuinjutsu a great art? I already knew how your abilities worked and it seems that it takes time to recharge that Kamui of yours. However, I've now made that useless. You can't go intangible anymore," Naruto explained with a large grin on his face.

Obito was clutching his arm and grunted. He had been overconfident and got outsmarted by Naruto. He clenched his teeth in frustration. He knew that he was outnumbered now and that he was in no shape to fight. However, he realized that Naruto had more potential than he ever realized. This was very interesting to him the more he thought about it.

"I see you have grown. However, next time, you won't be so lucky," Obito said as he used his Rinnegan to escape the battlefield.

Once the coast of him was clear, Naruto attended to Tsunade. She grabbed him in a bear hug, sobbing into his chest.

"Naruto, I am so sorry! I am sorry I couldn't protect you. Please forgive me!" Tsunade begged as Naruto hugged her back.

"It's okay Baa-chan. Jiraiya explained everything to me. You don't have to ask for my forgiveness. I know that you tried to do everything to stop my banishment. Words cannot express how grateful I am for that," Naruto replied.

"However, I need you to come with me to the West. I need your help with something," Naruto said as Tsunade nodded her head,

"Of course! Anything you need," Tsunade replied as Naruto smiled. Once Shizune regained consciousness, the group Hiraishined back to the West. Shizune was so happy to see that Naruto was alive and well. Like her master, she also gave Naruto a large bear hug.

Once the group returned to the West, Naruto brought Tsunade to the hospital where everyone seemed to be. Tsunade noticed that both Teuchi and Ayame were there and was about to ask why they were there, but she was whisked away to meet Chopper. The Medical Director explained to Tsunade the situation as they went to visit Hinata. Everyone followed as they saw that the former Hyuuga Heiress was now up. She was a little surprised to see Tsunade there.

"Oh Tsunade-sama, what are you doing here?" Hinata asked a bit confused.

"Well, I'm just here to see how you're doing Hinata. It has been a while and I think you are due for another check-up," the Slug Sanning said.

"Oh well, Chopper said I was fine. He explained that I just used up a lot of chakra and that I'll be good in the next week," Hinata replied.

"Actually Hinata, I asked Tsunade to also do a check-up on you. She knows your chakra system better than I so I thought she would give you a more accurate report," Chopper said.

"Oh okay. That sounds good. Will you be starting now?" Hinata asked.

"If you're up for it," Tsunade said as Hinata nodded. Everyone who wasn't needed in the room was told to leave and go to the waiting area. Everyone prayed that Hinata would make it through.


	15. Pain vs Peace

**12 Hours Later**

After Hinata agreed to let Tsunade give her a "check-up", the Sannin immediately went to work in getting supplies she needed. They did all of this in secret as to not alarm Hinata to anything out of the ordinary. Both Chopper and Tsunade agreed that they didn't want to add more stress to Hinata's body as it could cause the poison to work faster. Once all the necessary supplies were gathered, Tsunade kicked out everyone that didn't need to be there. Only Tsunade, Chopper, and Shizune remained along with a few other doctors and nurses. Naruto, Euphemia, Lelouch, Jiraiya, and Nunnally went to the waiting room. Everyone else that had waited for their arrival went back to their respective jobs. Over the course of the day, a few others would pop in from time to time to check on the status of Hinata.

As Tsunade went through her regular check-up routine, she knocked Hinata out. When she observed the Hyuuga's chakra system, she saw the potency of the poison and also the lethal amount that had been entered. This wouldn't be an easy task for her. Luckily, Shizune had carried most of the items that were required for the antidote and the rest of the ingredients were available in the West. It took twelve long hours, but they Tsunade finally managed to eradicate the poison out of Hinata's system completely.

Tsunade stepped out of the operating room and washed her hands. Both Shizune and Chopper followed and did the same. They made their way to the waiting room, where a large group of important people in the West had formed. It was night time already, and everybody had finished their work and made their way to see Hinata. They all stood up as Tsunade, Shizune, and Chopper made their way through the sliding doors of the waiting room.

"How is she?" Euphemia asked.

"She will make a full recovery," Tsunade said as everyone took a deep sigh of relief.

"I managed to eradicate the poison from her system and gave her an antidote that will reset her chakra system so that it will go back to normal. Her body will need some time to get accustomed to the antidote, so I put her in a medically induced coma so that her body can get some rest. She will be up in a couple of days. She will have to go through a series of physical therapy, but she should be back on her feet and as good as new in no time," Tsunade explained as everyone nodded. Chopper also mentioned that she would get one more check-up from Trafalgar to ensure that everything is truly gone.

"Thank you so much, Tsunade-sama," Euphemia said as she bowed towards the Slug Sannin. Tsunade smiled softly at the pink-haired Empress. Naruto smiled as well as he put a hand on his adopted grandmother's shoulder. Tsunade didn't notice that a few of them had gotten into a circle and were immediately teleported to Naruto's office. Naruto, Euphemia, Jiraiya, Itachi, Tsunade, Shizune, and Lelouch ended up in the office.

When they got to the office, Tsunade saw that it was much cleaner than her own back in Konoha. She had so many questions, yet she didn't know how to go about asking them. It hadn't sunk in yet that after all these years, she finally found Naruto. Not to mention the fact that she found him with Jiraiya and Itachi.

"Thank you Baa-chan," Naruto said. Though she was exhausted, Tsunade still had the strength to punch Naruto on top of his head. Naruto hissed in pain, muttering something about old hags, as he clutched the top of his head.

"No matter how long it's been, I still have not given you permission to call me that!" Tsunade yelled which elicited quiet chuckles from everyone else. However, Tsunade then turned around and looked straight at Jiraiya. The Toad Sannin froze in his tracks.

"And you, don't you dare think I've forgotten about you. You didn't even think to let me know about where you were? You give me one update and then all of a sudden, nothing. I was waiting for your reports for years! I thought you died, you bastard!" she yelled as she punched Jiraiya across the face, tears starting to fall from her eyes. The emotions finally hitting her. Jiraiya took the punch, although very reluctantly.

"And you!" She said as she looked at Itachi. The Uchiha not showing much emotion to the Sannin. "You have some nerve to show your face here. I hope you're not up to something Uchiha or I will end you," Tsunade threatened.

"It was my decision Baa-chan. Do not blame Ero-Sennin and do not worry about Itachi. He is here, peacefully," Naruto responded. To which Tsunade became livid.

"So you made me waste six years of my life looking for you while you were playing hide and go seek here?!"

"Well, what can I say? I was pretty pissed at you, to begin with. You did banish me after all, however, I realized that you couldn't do anything about it. I am sorry that it took so long to come and find you, but we had a strict timeline of things to do here," Naruto said.

"So if Hinata wasn't poisoned, I would still be looking for you in the East?" Tsunade asked.

"Not necessarily. We would've come to you sooner rather than later. We are going to be ushering in a new era of peace in this world and I want all of those I deem worthy to join me in that quest," Naruto explained as Tsunade snorted at Naruto's words. She couldn't believe what she was hearing from her adopted grandson. Just six years ago he was a pain in her butt, but now he was talking as if he ran the West himself.

"What's so funny, Baa-chan?" Naruto asked, amused at her response.

"Look, I truly am sorry that I couldn't do more to protect you, Naruto, but I think you being here has done some things to your head. You speak as though you're the Emperor himself!" Tsunade said. A few of the others in the room laughed, but Tsunade didn't seem to notice. Shizune, on the other hand, had an uneasy feeling about all of this. She was wondering why out of everyone, only Naruto was sitting down and why everyone else seemed to be giving him some type of respect.

"Don't you think I would make a good Emperor, Baa-chan?" Naruto asked, playing along with Tsunade's little game.

"Gaki, I know your dream was always to become Hokage, but I think being an Emperor is a totally different beast. I still think you're a little too young to be leading such a large, powerful country," Tsunade explained.

"She's got you on that one, brother. I mean your youth and inexperience were one of the reasons you weren't nominated at first," Lelouch added in. Tsunade agreed, not getting the underlying meaning of his words. Meanwhile, Shizune understood his words to the fullest. She was off to the side, trying to get Tsunade's attention. She needed to explain to her about the situation, but Tsunade wasn't paying attention to her.

"Exactly. This guy gets my point. I wouldn't doubt that one day you could do it Naruto, just it's not your time yet. I would bet all the money in the world that someone else here is the Emperor. Which reminds me, I better put in a request to move here permanently. The hospital has so many different techniques and equipment from the East, that it can revolutionize the way we heal shinobi," Tsunade said.

"That's a great idea, Baa-chan. Euphie, do you think you can help my Baa-chan and Shizune-nee to become citizens here in the West?" Naruto asked to which the Empress nodded. Tsunade was happy that everyone here was so agreeable, though she didn't catch everyone's names yet.

"Ah yes where are my manners? Baa-chan, I want to introduce to you some of my family," Naruto said as he got up from his desk and moved over to Lelouch and Euphemia. He put his arm around Lelouch's shoulder, "This is my brother-in-law, Lelouch. He's an advisor to the Emperor and is one of the strongest warriors here in the West," Naruto explained as Lelouch bowed. Tsunade did the same. Then Naruto moved over to Euphemia,

"And this is my wife, Euphemia. She's actually in charge of civilian affairs and she does a damn good job. She also helps with alliances and treaties and things of that nature. She does it with one of my sister-in-laws Nunnally, who you will meet later," Naruto explained as Tsunade made her way over to Euphemia. She bowed before her,

"Thank you for taking care of him all these years. I know he can be tough and a pain in the ass sometimes, but he always has good intentions. I hope he hasn't caused you much trouble during your marriage," Tsunade said to which Euphemia just laughed.

"He has been a wonderful husband. I couldn't have dreamt of being married to anyone else," Euphemia responded which made Tsunade happy to hear. She then turned to Naruto, who was grinning from ear to ear at her.

"So what do you do here, Naruto? I hope you, the old pervert, and the traitor are not freeloaders here," Tsunade said. Naruto laughed loudly at the assumption.

"Of course not. Both Jiraiya and Itachi are advisors to the Emperor as well. They play a vital role in helping to keep the Emperor's head straight. As for me, well I have many roles here. Sometimes I have to be a fighter to protect my country at all costs. Sometimes I have to be a diplomat and communicate effectively to our allies and enemies. Sometimes I have to be a leader and act harshly, but fairly. Sometimes I'm just myself," Naruto explained as Tsunade still didn't catch the hints.

"So you do just freeload here?" Tsunade questioned.

"I think I learned better than that, Baa-chan. Besides, since I have a wife I need to work hard to put food on the table. Which reminds me, you and Shizune will be staying at my residence for the time being. I have a spare room open that you two can use and tomorrow you can start your application to become citizens here in the West," Naruto said to which both Tsunade and Shizune nodded.

"Where exactly do you live Naruto?" Shizune asked.

"Oh, I live in a large Palace just a few streets down. You two may have seen it when you walked in," Naruto answered which came as a shock to Tsunade.

"You live in a Palace? How the hell did you manage to afford that?" Tsunade asked.

"Well, being married to the Empress has its perks," Naruto replied nonchalantly.

"Ah yes. Well, I can definitely understan-" Tsunade stopped as she just realized what Naruto said.

"M-Married t-to t-the E-Empress?" She wanted to disappear right then and there as she looked at Euphemia who chuckled a little.

"Tsuna-hime, I want you to meet the Empress of the United Western Empire, Uzumaki Euphemia," Jiraiya chimed in as he introduced Euphemia's actual title. Tsunade was shocked. She bowed again to Euphemia, then turned her attention to Naruto, pointing a finger at him.

"S-S-So t-that m-means y-you-?" Tsunade stuttered as Naruto could only laugh at her. This set Tsunade off.

"Gaki! You better not be fucking with me! You know I don't enjoy being tricked!" Tsunade yelled as Naruto's laughter erupted even more. It took a while to compose himself, but when he did, he made sure to explain everything to Tsunade.

"I assure you Baa-chan, that this is no trick. I am the Emperor of the United Western Empire and I am the one who will bring peace to this world," Naruto stated boldly as Tsunade stood there in disbelief.

"Why don't you come to the Palace. I know you must be tired and exhausted from today's events. We can have some late dinner and you can ask me all the questions you like," Naruto said as Tsunade nodded her head slowly in confirmation. The group then set off for the Palace, with a flabbergasted Tsunade happy with herself that she didn't make any rash bets earlier.

**Akatsuki Hideout**

Meanwhile, Obito was still recovering from his battle with Naruto. He couldn't believe that he got outsmarted by the young Jinchuuriki. He thought he read Naruto to the tee. He even avoided history repeating itself, yet he still lost. The boy had grown strong and the plans that he had created needed to be revised. As he let the Zetsu cells regenerate, a young woman with blue hair made her presence known.

"Pain would like to see you," she said as Obito stood up to walk. The two made their way to a large room, where a man with a large number of black receivers connected to his body. Obito stood before the man as the woman took her place next to him.

"You underestimated the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and now look at you," the man said as Obito soured at the notion that he lost.

"It was merely a test to observe the boy's strengths. It seems that he has formed a partnership with the Kyuubi. We need to further reevaluate our plans moving forward especially after the others have gone missing," Obito replied.

"The plans will not change. Everything has been set in stone. The Ichibi is ripe for the taking. We will get the others soon enough," the man said.

"How? We are low on numbers as it is," Obito responded.

"Do not worry about that. I will go. For now, is the time that the world learns about Pain,"

"Tch, that is a mistake," Obito thought, but he knew he was in no condition to fight back the decision.

"God himself has spoken. Once the Ichibi is captured, the others will be rounded up to be used for the next phase of our plans. Now leave us, for we have much to prepare," the man said as Obito got up angrily. He clutched his right arm, wishing that the Zetsu cells would heal faster. He knew that Pain was making a mistake in continuing forward with the plans.

Once Obito was gone, the woman turned to the man, "He is alive Nagato! Don't you want to meet him for yourself? He is an Uzumaki like you. You are not alone in this world anymore. You have a family. Not to mention that he is with Sensei," Konan said as Nagato turned to his longtime friend.

"Uzumaki Nagato has been dead for many years Konan. I am now Pain. The boy is not my family. He is someone that stands in our way for peace. A peace that Yahiko always wanted. We are doing this for him and don't you forget that," Nagato responded as Konan looked away. Though she supported her friend, she was beginning to feel unsure at how things were going. Especially after they were made aware of Naruto's presence, things started to unravel for them. They were far behind schedule and at this rate, it would take another lifetime in order to attain the dream of their fallen comrade.

**The Next Day**

After the events of the previous day, Naruto was back in his office. Now that Tsunade had taken care of Hinata, it was time for Naruto to refocus his efforts back to the main goal, which was Konoha. However, he would need to deal with the pain in the ass Orochimaru and the Akatsuki first. As he thought about it more, a courier knocked and entered into his office. He bowed politely and handed Naruto an envelope. It was addressed to him. Naruto accepted it and the courier left. Lelouch moved to Naruto's side to also look at the letter. Usually, letters like these were handed off to Lelouch as all of the couriers knew that Naruto was not one to read reports. However, if it was of great importance, the courier would deliver it himself or herself to Naruto directly. This seemed to be one of the important ones.

Naruto opened up the letter and looked it over. A smile started to form after he read the first line. As he read down, the small smile turned into a large grin. Even Lelouch smiled at the report. The first step of their plan was a major success.

_Operation Bijuu is a success. All Jinchuuriki besides Gaara of the Sand, Yagure, and Killer B has been recovered._

_Yugito Nii. Kumogakure. Status: Recovered by U.A. High School Class 1-A representatives Deku, Katsuki Bakugo, Shoto Todoroki, Tenya Iida, and Ochaco Uraraka. Mission was overseen by Eraserhead._

_Roshi. Formerly of Iwagakure. Status: Recovered along with Han by Night Raid. _

_Han. Formerly of Iwagakure. Status: Recovered along with Roshi by Night Raid._

_Note: Encountered Akatsuki members Sasori and Deidara, who were trying to capture both Roshi and Han. They were defeated and killed with minimal resistance. _

_Utakata. Formerly of Kirigakure. Status: Recovered by the Straw Hats minus Monkey D. Luffy and Nami. Assisted by the Heart Pirates led by Trafalgar D. Water Law._

_Fuu. Formerly of Takigakure. Status: Recovered by Asta and Himura Kenshin._

"Well, that's one less thing we have to worry about now," Lelouch said as Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah. It's also two less Akatsuki members we have to deal with. When they get here, have them meet me in my office," Naruto said as he stood up and walked out of the office. He needed to get some fresh air.

**Several Hours Later**

The Jinchuuriki group made their way into Naruto's office. They were unsure what to expect from the Emperor. They had heard stories and rumors about him but were unsure about who he was. Not to mention the fact that they were heavily guarded as they made their arrival in the West.

As the Jinchuuriki's got there, they noticed a teenager sitting down at a desk. They noticed the bright yellow blonde hair of the young man. They were all a bit surprised by the appearance. They thought that the Emperor would be a bit older, though they weren't going to say anything about that. Naruto noticed them and their escorts as they entered the office.

Kenpachi introduced Naruto to them and they bowed out of respect, "Ah please do not bow before me. I'm not one to be formal like that," Naruto said as the Jinchuuriki's raised their heads.

"I do apologize for the security measures, but I can assure you they were done for your safety. I did not intend to make you feel like criminals," Naruto explained as the Jinchuuriki's nodded in acknowledgment.

"We are thankful for your concern, Emperor-sama. However, all of us were wondering what we are doing here?" Utakata asked.

"Ah yes sorry I was just about to get to that. I have brought you all here because I know how much you all have been persecuted back in the East. I understand the pain and suffering you all went through. I wanted to bring you all here because I know you would have a better life here," Naruto started before he was interrupted by Roshi.

"What makes you think we would enjoy it here? How do we know you won't just use us like everyone else has tried to do," he said. Naruto could see that the other Jinchuuriki seemed to agree with Roshi's sentiments and he couldn't blame them. They had been on the run and been used for their powers all their lives. They had been through this before and most likely always ended up being betrayed. He needed to connect with them on a more personal level.

"I see your point, Roshi. However, I am not like others from the East. I am not one to manipulate you to do my bidding. I have been manipulated nearly my entire life. I know the pain that you all have gone through," Naruto tried to explain.

"How would you know what the life of a Jinchuuriki goes through? You couldn't even imagine what kind of life we had to live. You probably sat here being spoon-fed by servants and attended to by your maids as you lived this luxurious lifestyle," Roshi responded, not caring anymore that he was talking to the Emperor.

"Oh, making assumptions now, are we? I think you should reconsider that sentiment," Naruto responded as he took his Kyuubi Chakra Form. The other Jinchuuriki merely dropped to their knees when they saw the power of the strongest Bijuu before them. The other Bijuu were going nuts now, noticing that Kurama had finally made his presence known. The Jinchuuriki's could barely withstand the aura that Naruto was exhibiting.

"I can definitely imagine the life of a Jinchuuriki. Why? Because I hold the power of the Kyuubi, the strongest Bijuu on the planet. I have been persecuted and manipulated my entire life. People saw me only for the Kyuubi within me, not as a person. I am from the East, just like all of you. I know how people like us are treated," Naruto said. The other's eyes widened at the sight. So this is what it looked like when the Bijuu allows the jailer to control their power.

"Look, I'm not asking you to fight for me or to use your powers for my gain. I would never do that to anyone. All I seek is for your loyalty to the West. That you will abide by our laws and treat everyone with the same respect you all seek. It is time to stop running, brothers, and sisters. It is time you found your place in this world. It is time that this world saw peace. I hope you all will join me in living in this new era. The choice is yours. If you refuse my offer, I will let you go and do as you please. I will not come to bother you again. However, if you choose to accept my offer, I will offer you all a home and a way of life. The people here will not treat you the same as the people in the East. As long as you respect others, then others will respect you. So what say you?" Naruto said. The Jinchuuriki didn't take a lot of time to make a decision. They all chose to accept Naruto's offer. Better to live a life of freedom rather than a life of persecution.

Naruto was happy to hear that they would accept his offer. He would give them ample time to find a home to settle into and an occupation that they were interested in. With this part of the plan complete, Naruto knew that the next phase was already in motion.

**Later that Week**

Naruto made sure to get all of the Jinchuuriki situated with their new way of life. He allowed them to roam the Capital and find a place that was suitable for them for the time being. They had an escort with them at all times. They had wondered why they needed it, but Naruto assured them that it was just for the time being. Once the Akatsuki had been dealt with, then they would be allowed to roam the country by themselves.

Naruto also made sure to check on Hinata's status. Euphemia and Miu stayed at the hospital until she woke up. Chopper made sure to give both Naruto and Euphemia updates on the Hyuuga's condition. Once the Straw Hats returned, Chopper had Trafalgar examine Hinata's body to ensure that all of the poison had been eradicated. Observing the procedure would be Tsunade and Shizune, who were interested as to why Chopper respected the leader of the Heart Pirates. Using his Ope Ope no Mi, Trafalgar searched for any traces of the poison. Once he was done, he concluded that the Hyuuga was safe and that Tsunade had done a tremendous job of getting rid of the substance in her body. Both Tsunade and Shizune were amazed at Trafalgar's way of handling a procedure like this. They both had many questions to ask of him.

The next day, Hinata woke up. She was in a bit of pain, but she was happy to be alive. She was a bit shocked when Chopper told her about the events that took place in the previous week. The Hyuuga thanked everyone for their expertise and ability in healing her. She also thanked Naruto for all the trouble he went through to find Tsunade.

Meanwhile, Naruto made sure to keep tabs of the future events. He made sure to run through every scenario with all of his generals, ensuring they were all on the same page. They never knew when the next phase of the plan would come into effect, so they made sure to be ready at all times. It was a smart move by the young Emperor.

As they were in a meeting, Naruto felt chakra being flowed into one of his Hiraishin kunai. Naruto gave the order. All of his generals and advisors moved with precision to get what they needed. His special guard was prepared to move. They, along with Itachi, Jiraiya, Ichigo Kurosaki, and Saitama would all be making the journey. Naruto summoned a toad and left a note for Euphemia, explaining to her that he may not be home that night and not to wait up for him. He knew though, that she wouldn't get a wink of sleep until she knew for sure he was safe.

Within a minute, everyone that was going was present. They all formed a circle and joined hands. Naruto teleported all of them to his kunai in Suna. They flashed into Gaara's office, but the Kazekage nor his siblings were there. After a few seconds, a loud explosion could be heard. As the group looked out the window, a large puff of sand filled the air on the outskirts of the country. Naruto knew that's where they must be. They moved quickly to reach the battlefield.

As they got there, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro were the only ones left standing against their opponent. The Sand Siblings were injured but were a lot more fortunate than some of the others. Suna Jonin and Chunin alike were scattered around the grounds. They were either dead or gravely injured as the enemy stood strong. There were six of them, all with dyed orange hair and donned the Akatsuki cloaks. They all possessed the Rinnegan and had given the Kazekage and his siblings all they could handle.

Naruto made his presence known to his friend. Gaara was injured but was able to still walk under his own power. He turned to his friend, who looked at him with some concern.

"Are you alright, Gaara?" Naruto asked.

"I'll survive. However, at this rate, I don't know how long more we're going to last," Gaara replied. "They are strong and anything we try to do is easily repelled. I'm running out of ideas,"

"Hmm. Let's see what we're dealing with here," Naruto said as he transformed into his Kyuubi Chakra Mode. The Six Paths of Pain just stared at the new combatants on the battlefield. Naruto launched himself at them. He powered up a Rasengan only to be forced back.

"**Shinra Tensei!"**

Naruto's clone dispersed as an invisible force pushed his clone back. Everyone wondered what happened. The Six Paths of Pain just stood there as the main one finally decided to speak.

"I see the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki has finally made his presence known before god," the Deva Path said. Jiraiya noticed that he looked oddly familiar. Even the voice reminded him of someone, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Did you just call yourself a god?"

"Of course. Now Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, give yourself up to me. For I will show this world pain," the Deva Path spoke as it confused Naruto.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Who the fuck even are you?" Naruto asked.

"Why don't you ask your teacher. He shall know who I am," was the response. Naruto turned to Jiraiya, who finally figured out who the person was. His face turned to shock as he realized this was his former student who he thought had died so many years ago.

"Yahiko? Is that really you? I thought you died?" Jiraiya asked in shock.

"God's do not die, Sensei," the Deva Path responded.

"What about the others? Nagato and Konan? Are they alive as well?"

"That is none of your concern. Now, hand over the Jinchuuriki, or we will have to take him by force,"

"Why are you doing this Yahiko? What happened to you? What happened to the peace you always talked about? This isn't how you go about achieving that," Jiraiya responded.

"Many things changed after you left us, Sensei. We realized that this world can't achieve peace with just mere words. Force and action must be taken in order for peace to be attained. Surely you understand that as well? This will be the last time I say this, hand over the Jinchuuriki, or else you will surely know pain," the Deva responded. Jiraiya was shocked at the words coming out of his former student's mouth. This was not the Yahiko remembered. He knew this couldn't be right. Something was off about this whole situation.

Meanwhile, Naruto was getting fed up about all of this nonsense, "You want me? Come and get me. Today is the day I destroy you once and for all. Today is the day I make god bleed," he said as the battle began.

The strategy that Naruto used was to separate the six of them. They outnumbered them and had the advantage of power. However, it was hard to get into striking range, especially with the Shinra Tensei defense that the Six Paths used. Luckily, Naruto noticed that the Deva Path could not use it all the time. He started to notice that it took time until the Path used it again. They needed to strike in that timeframe. Saitama and Ichigo easily took down the Preta and Naraka Path respectively. Saitama destroyed the Preta Path with one punch while Ichigo sliced the Preta in half with his Zangetsu.

The swordsman of Naruto's detail, Jin, Mugen, and Zoro sliced off both arms and the head of the Human Path. Shigure matched the Asura Paths unique weaponry, while Yusuke used his spirit gun to finish it off. Itachi and Deku took down the Animal Path, not allowing her to summon any beasts. Deku finished her off with a Delaware Detroit Smash. It took some time, but they managed to defeat the other five paths as Jiraiya and Naruto dealt with the Deva Path.

Getting into range, Naruto had much success with the Deva Path. He and Jiraiya were able to land Rasengans into the Path, not allowing it any time to get distance and recover. However, Jiraiya still tried to reason with his former student. He wanted him to see the errors of his ways.

"Yahiko this must end. Do you not see that this is helping nobody? You have already lost. Just stop now and we can work this out," Jiraiya tried to explain, but the Deva Path was having none of it.

"God does not lose. You cannot kill me," was the only thing he said as he took the opportunity to send another Shinra Tensei and knocked both Naruto and Jiraiya back.

"Ero-Sennin, I'm going to finish this. There is no hope for him anymore. This needs to stop," Naruto explained.

Jiraiya just dropped his head. He knew that Naruto was right. Whatever feelings he was having towards Yahiko needed to end. He had killed many people up to this point and quite frankly, there wasn't much left he could do for him anymore.

"You're right, Gaki. There is nothing more I can do for him," Jiraiya said as Naruto prepared some of his finishing moves. He summoned thousands of clones to act as a distraction while he transformed into Sage Mode. As the clones attacked the Deva Path, he easily repelled them as he waited for his Shinra Tensei to be back up. Unfortunately, that moment would not come. Naruto narrowed down the timing to the exact second and knew that the final Akatsuki member was vulnerable. He charged up a Rasenshuriken and struck with deadly precision when the final clone vanished. It tore the Deva Path up from the inside and the battle was finally over.

Or so they thought.

Naruto observed the slain Deva Path and the black receivers that were embedded into its body. He took one out and could immediately feel a different type of aura coming from it. He remembered the Deva Path's words about pain and Naruto stabbed his hand with the receiver. He was immediately brought into memories of Nagato. All of the pain that he went through. Naruto knew that for this to be officially over, he needed to find the real Pain himself. He told Jiraiya about it and told him that they would be going alone. Everyone else would stay in Suna and make sure things are fine.

It didn't take them long to reach Nagato's hideout. Using Sage Mode, Naruto sensed the direction of the real Pain. Once they reached it, Naruto took a deep breath and entered. Standing there was Nagato, with many of the black receivers still in his back. Konan stood beside him as they observed Naruto and their former Sensei.

"It was a mistake for you to come here, Jinchuuriki," Nagato stated.

"Nagato? Konan? You both are still alive?" Jiraiya said in shock and horror that his former students were the cause of all of this.

"Of course we are Sensei. No thanks to you," was Konan's reply.

"You all were ready to finally be on your own. You did not need any more of my help. I thought you all had died. I saw the official report myself," Jiraiya replied.

"You know good and well Sensei that reports do not tell the entire tale. Were you not the one that taught us to always dig deeper and look beneath the surface? You of all people should know that there was no way we could die, especially at the hands of mere mortals," Nagato spoke.

Jiraiya was about to respond back before Naruto stopped him. They needed to do this differently as words did not appear to work at the moment.

"I'm sick and tired of hearing you speak as though you are faultless. It was a mistake that you ever decided to make me a target. Not to mention you targeted my friends. That is unforgivable," Naruto said as Nagato scoffed at him.

"You consider those Jinchuuriki's your friends? You consider these other low lives your friends? Friendship makes you weak, Uzumaki Naruto and you will soon find out that your weakness will be the end of you," Nagato said as two black receivers shot out at both Naruto and Jiraiya. Naruto easily repelled both of them as he transformed into Kyuubi Chakra Mode. He then rushed Nagato. Konan tried to step in front of him, but she was too slow to stop him from reaching Nagato. Naruto appeared next to Nagato and before the Akatsuki leader could do anything, a kunai touched his neck.

"You don't have the guts to kill me," Nagato said as he turned to look Naruto in the eyes.

"You're right. I don't have the guts to kill you right now. I have a different plan in mind. I want to understand you and your pain. A pain that you have suffered nearly your entire life," Naruto said as Nagato's eyes widened. No one had ever asked him about his source of pain before. He managed to hide it away from everybody under the guise of a cold-hearted leader and killer. Not even Konan knew the cause of his true pain.

Nagato went on to explain how his pain came to be. How his parents were mistakenly killed by Konoha shinobi that left him an orphan. How he was not able to protect Yahiko from dying. Those were the times that brought him true pain and helped him come to the conclusion that peace could not be achieved through mere words. Action and force would be needed to bring true peace to the world. Nagato explained that he saw no other way other than his.

"Do you understand how single-minded that thinking is? Don't you understand that you are only bringing more violence to this world instead of this peace you so seek?" Naruto questioned.

"You are young and naive to understand such concepts. You have not experienced the pain that I have felt. Those that do not understand true pain will never achieve true peace," Nagato said.

"You do not know me. You do not get to tell me that I have never felt pain. Like you, I too lost my parents. I lost them the day I was born. I never even met them. I grew up without a family, without friends, without guidance, without anything. I have felt pain almost my entire life," Naruto said.

"Then you and I should understand each other even more. We both know that we will never be able to escape our pain. It stays with us forever. There will always be a pain in this world whether we like it or not. It's what drives our actions. Those actions spew hate and violence towards each other which breeds a chain of hatred. That is why absolute control is the only way to ensure a true peace in this world," Nagato explained.

"Do you not see how flawed that argument is? You are trying to take away the only thing that makes us human, which is our emotions. We are not perfect, we are not free of guilt. However, our imperfections are what drives us to become better people. Will our pain always stay with us? Maybe. But when we surround ourselves with the people we love and those that support us, then that pain goes away. You are right about one thing. That hatred and violence only breed an even bigger chain of hatred. But don't you think that absolute control would change any of that? Wouldn't that only make the chain of hatred stronger since people will hate the one that controls them? Wouldn't you think fostering a culture on respect would make it easier to break that chain?" Naruto said as this made Nagato think before.

Out of all the years that he spent behind the Pain mantra, never had anyone challenged his way of thinking. He was surprised that Naruto was brave enough to be the first to challenge his actions. Though he found faults with the young Emperor's philosophy, it did make him realize that there were faults in his own as well. He had thought that he was doing this for the greater good and to keep Yahiko's dream of peace alive. However, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki made him rethink how he did things. Maybe, just maybe, no matter if it was naive or not, Naruto's way of thinking was another alternative for peace.

"I am surprised to be saying this, but you have made me really think things through, Uzumaki Naruto," Nagato said after a few moments, much to the shock of both Konan and Jiraiya. Naruto, on the other hand, cocked an eyebrow at the fact that Nagato was admitting that he had a point.

"Though I do still believe that your way of thinking is very childish and naive, I do see your point and where you are coming from. I see that you value those who are close to you. I hope one day you achieve your dream of peace, Uzumaki Naruto," Nagato said as he took his hands out of the large mechanical walker he used. Naruto lowered his kunai from his neck, noticing that Nagato could not do much moving on his own. Nagato turned his attention to Jiraiya, who was watching the events unfold from the entrance.

"You have taught the boy well, Sensei. I hope you are there to help him in the future," Nagato said. Jiraiya just nodded in confirmation. He did not know whether he should be sad or angry at his former students for the trouble they caused when he left them. However, those thoughts were put aside when Nagato collapsed to the floor. Konan, Naruto, and Jiraiya rushed to his aid.

"I do not have much time left in this world. You defeated all of my paths, which has left me in a very weakened state. However, if anything, I'm glad that a family member will now be overseeing my dream," Nagato said as both Naruto and Jiraiya were shocked at the statement.

"What do you mean family?" Naruto asked.

The Akatsuki leader managed a weak chuckle at the blonde's surprise, "We Uzumaki are known for our red hair. It is our distinctive feature. Though I see you have blonde hair, which means you must have inherited your father's traits," Nagato explained.

"You knew my parents?" Naruto asked in astonishment.

"No, they were before my time. However, I have heard that both of your parents were strong shinobi. Your mother left the village before I was born, yet, I heard many stories of her. They would both be proud of the person you have become," Nagato answered.

Nagato coughed up a large amount of blood as he had an arm around Jiraiya and Konan's shoulders. It was his time.

"Though I know I will not be going to a great place in the afterlife, I am glad that my last moments on earth were surrounded by some of the people I cherish the most," Nagato said as Konan and even Jiraiya were starting to shed some tears.

"Sensei, though I had strayed away from your teachings, I will be forever grateful for the lessons you taught us. We would not have survived our youth if it wasn't for you. Please continue to guide young Naruto on the straight path," Nagato said as Jiraiya gave him a soft smile.

"No matter your actions, you will always be my student, Nagato. I'm sorry that I couldn't do more for all of you, especially Yahiko," Jiraiya said. Nagato returned a smile as he turned his head to Konan.

"My dear friend, you must ensure that no harm comes to young Naruto. I think he has made us both realize the error of our ways. I hope you can see Yahiko's dream become a reality," Nagato spoke as Konan's tears fell like a waterfall. She couldn't contain her emotions at losing another friend she grew so dearly towards. However, she would honor Nagato's request without fail.

Finally, Nagato turned to Naruto, who stood in front of him, "And you, Uzumaki Naruto, I hope you get to see your dream of peace come to pass. I will be watching you from the afterlife and I know you'll make our family name proud," Nagato said as Naruto bowed slightly towards his long, lost family member.

"Take me outside. I want to see the world with my own eyes before I go," Nagato ordered as Jiraiya and Konan obliged. It was bright and sunny outside. Far different from the weather they were used to in Amegakure. He did not speak, instead deciding to bask in the ray of sunshine that he had not seen in years. They all stood outside for a few minutes, taking in the fresh air and sunlight.

"It's beautiful, isn't it Nagato?" Konan asked as she turned to her friend. However, his time had already come. His eyes were closed, yet, a smile could be seen on his face. Today had been the first day he had smiled in years. Both Sensei and student wept for their loved one. They let out all of their emotions. It took some time for them to finally stop, but they eventually did, when they could no longer shed any more tears. Konan wrapped Nagato's body in her paper as they prepared a proper burial for him.

Naruto invited her to come West with them, where she could start a new life. She accepted, wanting to honor Nagato's last request of her. The trio made their way back to the group they left in Suna and Hirashined back to the West, where Naruto helped get Konan situated.

**Konoha- Danzo's office**

Danzo was conducting some work in his office after finally being released by Ibiki and Anko. He was forcefully re-educated, though the effects only worked for so long. He was finally regaining his strength and ability when a loud crashing noise was heard outside his office. He slowly got up to check what the commotion was about.

"Torune? Fuu? What is going on out there?" Danzo asked through the door. When no answer came, he opened the door to make a grizzly discovery.

Both of his bodyguards lay on the floor unconscious. Whoever was able to get past them and the other ROOT Anbu who guarded the level his office was on must've had some serious skill. He wanted to investigate further but felt an eerie presence behind him. He turned around to find the culprit sitting at his desk with its feet on top of it.

Orochimaru seemed to be very relaxed as he observed the Anbu leader. Danzo didn't even move an inch, a bit shocked that Orochimaru was making his presence known in Konoha.

"Ma, ma Danzo. You look horrible. I see you still wrap yourselves in those bandages. I hope that arm has been serving you well," the Snake Sannin said as he chuckled a bit.

"What are you doing here, Orochimaru?"

"Well, I see that you have been having some trouble here, I thought I'd throw you a little lifeline. It seems we share a common enemy. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki," Orochimaru explained as both he and Danzo had evil grins on their faces.


	16. A Deal With the Devil

**Konoha- Danzo's Office**

"What makes you think I want any of your help?" Danzo asked, as his evil grin disappeared from his face.

"Now, now Danzo, don't think you can fool me. You have already run out of ideas with how to handle young Naruto, not to mention that the other two elders have passed. You are alone now. The civilian council will not do much to help you. This is a shinobi village and the words of the shinobi council and Hokage are held much higher than the civilians, especially in time of war," Orochimaru said.

"So? What's your point?"

"My point is, you should consider some assistance for your troubles and I believe I have found the perfect group that can help. They too have been oppressed by the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and have put aside their differences at the moment to form together to take him down," Orochimaru explained. This got Danzo intrigued.

"I thought you had your help with Iwa and Kumo? Are they not enough for you?" Danzo asked. The Snake Sannin just laughed at the thought.

"Please, those two countries are mere pawns in my little game. They are weak and selfish, only concerned about themselves. I could put them easily under my control," Orochimaru replied.

"Well, then why don't you?" Danzo quipped back.

"Because they'll become a great headache. The Raikage and Tsuchikage only think about themselves and their villages. I have plans for bigger and better things," Orochimaru said.

Danzo nodded, accepting the explanation, "So what of this group that can help us? Where do we find them?" the old War Hawk asked.

"Ah, ah, ah, not so fast. Don't think this information will come for free," Orochimaru said as he wagged his finger in front of Danzo.

"And what is your price?" the elder asked.

"Don't play dumb with me. You know full well what my price is," Orochimaru answered.

"No! You will not get the Uchiha. He is the last of his kind. He is off-limits," Danzo said as he raised his voice in anger.

Orochimaru just shook his head, "Well, you can watch Konoha burn in flames then. Even though I may consider both Kumo and Iwa weak, there is no way you can defeat them both along with Oto. Not to mention, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki could also possibly destroy this place before I even reach here. It's really up to you which way you want to die. However, if you give me the Uchiha, I will back off of Konoha and help with the destruction of both Kumo and Iwa. Not to mention that the people I know want to take down the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. If they succeed, then he will no longer be a threat to you. Either way, Konoha is saved and you seem like a hero," Orochimaru explained as Danzo pondered the thought.

He knew that Orochimaru spoke the truth. No matter how much he tried to deny it, Konoha was weaker compared to the other villages. The loss of Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Naruto hurt the power of the village. Add to the fact that the current Hokage wasn't as strong as the previous, Konoha was extremely weak. Even though he hated having to give up the Uchiha, Danzo knew that this was a risk he needed to take to protect the village. He wanted Konoha to rise again and making more enemies was not the way to do it. He would have to swallow his pride on this one. He needed the Kyuubi brat gone forever and this seemed like the only way to do it.

Orochimaru watched as the elder thought about his decision. He knew he had the old man cornered and grinned at that fact, "I'm waiting," he said.

"Fine. You may take the Uchiha. However, you must agree to pull your forces off our borders. We know you've been planning something and giving you the Uchiha will be our peace offering. Now, you will take me to this group at once!" Danzo demanded as Orochimaru smiled with pleasure.

"Of course. I'll give you the time and place," he said as he began to write.

"However, you also need to make it look like the Uchiha forcefully deserted. This will give me an excuse to leave the village," Danzo said as Orochimaru grinned at the idea.

"You are a dastardly one, Danzo. No wonder you have so much power here," Orochimaru replied. Both men acknowledged the other as the Snake Sannin gave the War Hawk the information. Within seconds, he disappeared, leaving Danzo to wonder what would happen next.

**Western Empire**

After his battle with Pain, Naruto returned with Jiraiya back to Suna. They stayed behind for a bit to help Gaara with their recovery efforts. Nearly half of the Suna Jonin had died or were severely injured in their battle with the Six Paths of Pain. Not to mention that parts of the village were destroyed. Though he was tired, Naruto Hiraishined to the West and brought back both Elric brothers. They would help with the rebuilding of the village and also provide other support that Gaara needed.

Naruto and the group that he brought with him returned to the West way past midnight. Naruto returned to the Palace as the others went home to get their rest as well. He opened the door to his room slowly, hoping to not wake his wife. As he entered into the pitch-black room, he noticed Euphemia was standing on the balcony, staring out at the still lively city. Naruto figured she was still up. Whenever he was away, she would always stay up until he returned.

He closed the door slowly and quietly, as to not alert her of his presence. He walked quietly to the balcony area of their room, which was quite far. Naruto snuck up behind his wife as she stared out at the Capital. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. Euphemia shrieked a little bit, scared that someone put their arms around her so suddenly. However, she soon realized the smell and touch of her husband, who she had been waiting for.

Naruto gave her tiny kisses on her cheek as he held her close to him. He took in her intoxicating smell that he loved so much. It was another full moon tonight in the night sky with the stars shining brightly. The setting couldn't be any more perfect for the two of them.

"I'm home, Euphie," Naruto said as he kissed the back of her neck. Euphemia let out a small moan as she raised her arms around her husband's neck.

"Welcome home, Dear," she managed out as Naruto started to move down her backside.

"I told you to not wait up for me-ttebayo," Naruto said in between kisses.

"I know, Dear but you know I can't help it. I'm always worried for you," Euphemia said as she finally turned around to face her husband. She planted a loving kiss on his lips, which turned into a heavy make-out session between the Emperor and Empress. Naruto pulled his wife back into the room and closed the glass doors that led to the balcony. He turned Euphemia around again and pushed her gently upon the glass.

She was wearing her usual nightgown that Naruto had gotten for her. It was all white and was only held together by two strings that were tied in a knot at the base of the back of her neck. Naruto untied the knot and watched as his wife's nightgown fell to the floor, leaving her entire body exposed.

Euphemia turned around very slowly, giving Naruto a little show as she exposed her front side to him. She took his hand and led him to their bed. For some reason, whenever he came home from trips abroad, they would always be in the mood for this. No matter how tired Naruto would be, the sight of his wife would turn him on. Euphemia loved it.

As they got the edge of the bed, Euphemia pushed Naruto onto it. Naruto laid on his back as he felt Euphemia tugging his pants loose, "You must be tired, Dear. Let me help you get out of these dirty clothes," she said as she stripped Naruto down. She made sure that Naruto was all clean before they got to bed.

**The Next Day**

The sun shined brightly in the sky as the morning came for the West. Both Naruto and Euphemia managed to sleep in this morning, mostly because of the lovemaking they did the night before. However, Naruto started to stir. He was going to be busy again today and needed to call the council for a meeting. He knew his generals were all set with the necessary arrangements for the next phase. Though he didn't know it yet, Naruto was about to act at the perfect time.

As he sat up, he noticed his wife was still sleeping. She was still naked under their sheets and had a smile on her face. He always wondered why she smiled when she slept. He had asked her about it one time and she said it was because she was always thinking about him. Naruto also liked to attributed it to the great sex they always had.

Naruto kissed his wife on the cheek and got out of bed to prepare for the day. He got himself showered and changed into new clothes and set out to call his council for a meeting. He sent clones to alert the other members as he headed for the Council Chambers.

**Council Chambers**

Naruto arrived first to the empty room. It felt awkward to him that he was the first one there when he was usually the last. Slowly but surely, the other council members trickled in as well as Jiraiya and Tsunade as Naruto's adopted grandparents stood behind him. Because he respected her so much, Naruto made sure that he would start to include Tsunade in council meetings to bring her up to speed on what was going on. Once everyone who needed to be there arrived, the meeting began promptly.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Before you guys give me any updates, I would like to announce that the Akatsuki is officially dead. The last remnants of them have been eliminated and they will no longer be a pain in our side," Naruto announced as everyone else nodded their heads. Tsunade was a bit in shock at the news but would hold any further questions until after.

"Now it is time to move on to the next stage, which is to deal with the Snake and his allies. I know Lelouch read the strategy, but are there any other updates on it that I should know about?" Naruto asked his council.

Lelouch actually stepped up this time to speak as everyone, including Naruto, turned their attention to him.

"There is one big update that I just received this morning. It seems that some remnants of the Thousand Year War remain at large. It seems that they are going to be meeting soon. Both the Snake and Uchiha Obito seem to be on the guest list to attend. Their time of hiding has finally ended and they will plan to make their move soon," Lelouch said.

"It was about damn time. I thought they were going to just roll over and die without putting up a fight. Luckily we have planned for this, just I didn't think the Snake would be strong enough to join," Naruto said.

"Do you think this would be a good time to bring those from Konoha in?" Integra Hellsing asked.

"Not yet. I will let the situation play itself out first. I want to know what their plan is so that we can be prepared for it," Naruto answered.

"So is it time to send him in?" Roy Mustang asked.

"I don't see why not," Naruto said as he signaled for a courier. "Can you bring him here please," Naruto asked as the courier bowed in confirmation and hurried off to get this "him" to who they were referring to. A few of Naruto's generals started to scribble down notes and were comparing them with each other.

"Is this a good idea? I mean what if he gets caught?" Tsunade asked finally, finding the courage to speak.

"I don't think that will be an issue," a voice said from behind Tsunade. She turned around quickly to look at the new entry into the room. She noticed his dark complexion and his silver hair. He wore a gold-colored jacket on top of a white shirt with black slacks. His slacks had a white cross on the left leg and a white stripe running down the right. He wore sunglasses even indoors. However, his most distinct feature was the large X-shaped scar that stretched across his forehead and down over parts of his eyes and cheekbone.

"Ah Scar, glad you could join us, though I wish it were under better circumstances," Naruto said as the man bowed slightly before Naruto.

"Scar, we have a mission for you. Obviously, you know better than anyone the inner workings of some of the more notorious figures that threaten the Empire. We want you to infiltrate their little upcoming gathering. Though we don't know the place and time, I'm sure you of all people can figure it out. We want to know what their plans are moving forward. This is just infiltration and scouting, nothing else. Once the gathering is over, you may return here for your report. We will have an extraction team on standby in case things get a little dicey. Do you understand your mission?" Lelouch said as the Ishvalan nodded his head in confirmation.

"Do you have any other questions?" Lelouch asked.

"None. I am grateful that you are giving me such an important mission Boss. I will see to it that I complete it without fail," Scar said as he bowed slightly at Naruto. Tsunade almost couldn't believe the loyalty that Naruto commanded in the room. All of these people with such strong powers and yet they yielded to him.

"Good. Now go for you have much to prepare for," Naruto said as Scar exited the room quickly.

"So who did you have in mind for the extraction team, Boss? They will need to be seriously strong in case things get out of hand," Kisame asked.

Naruto thought about it for a few moments before he finally had a perfect idea, "We will send in the Cyborg 009 unit as the extraction team. Lagoon company will be sent in as the sea transportation if it comes to it. Class 1-A will be sent in as secondary support. We will have a few Knightmare Frames on standby. That should be adequate enough. Obviously, as a last resort, I will see to it personally that Scar makes it back here," Naruto said as the others in the room nodded their heads in agreement.

"By the way, has anyone seen Itachi? I thought he was supposed to be here," Naruto asked. Kisame stood up as everyone's attention turned to him.

"Itachi said he had something to take care of. He mentioned that he shouldn't be gone long, but didn't give me any specifics," Kisame answered as Naruto thought about what the Uchiha could be doing right now. He figured that whatever he was doing, he couldn't stop Itachi from doing it at the moment.

"Well alright then. With that out of the way, let's get on with the rest of this meeting," Naruto said.

**One Week Later - Konoha**

After Orochimaru had given the coordinates and the time for their meeting, Danzo made sure to get his belongings in order. That included getting the plan to let Sasuke leave the village. Though he had no intention of doing that, he would have to for the sake of the village. He also needed to figure out a way to cut Sasuke loose. The Uchiha was chained to his hospital bed as he still recovered from his injuries. This would take some expert planning on his part.

Meanwhile, Sasuke, on the other hand, was pissed. First, he found out that the Dobe was the Emperor of the West. Second, he had lost badly at the hands of one of the strongest warriors in the West. Lastly but most importantly, he lost the chance to marry the strongest Kunoichi in the village. Sasuke was starting to believe again that defecting from the village was a must if he wanted to kill Itachi. Seeing his brother again after so many years brought out that anger and revenge that laid dormant these past few years. He needed to find Orochimaru, but first, he needed to figure out a way out of Konoha.

It was nighttime in the village and many of the hospital workers had gone home for the evening. There were not many graveyard shift workers. Even Sakura went home, much to Sasuke's relief. The girl was starting to get on his nerves. Though she was one of the hottest Kunoichi in the village, her voice really annoyed him. He didn't mind the sex though. He was pretty sure that once he was out of the hospital, he would take the girl with him and use her to rebuild his clan.

He was chained to his bed by chakra sealing chains. They were strong enough to where he couldn't activate his chakra but were weak enough to the point that they needed to be changed every so often. It was almost his time to get his chains replaced and he thought it would be the best time to react given the circumstances. He laid his head back to relax for a little. It was a full moon tonight, he had been seeing a lot of those lately. However, tonight's moon seemed a little off. It looked almost red, as though someone had poured blood all over it. That's when Sasuke realized he couldn't move and it was not because of the chakra sealing chains.

"Calm yourself Sasuke. It is only me," Itachi spoke as Sasuke's anger boiled.

"You traitor! What are you doing here? Coming to finish off the last of our clan? How cowardly of you. Just like when you killed Mom and Dad, always with the surprises," Sasuke scowled as Itachi shook his head at his little brother.

"You are too young to understand the whole truth from that night. The story goes way before that," Itachi replied calmly.

"Hmph. Yeah right. Man, you should pray to kami that I'm not fully recovered yet. I would kill you where you stand. Then I will kill that Dobe Naruto and take the mantle of Emperor for myself," Sasuke said.

"What has happened to you, brother? Why are you acting like this? I can understand your hate for me, but why for Naruto? If anything you should've embraced him. You two came from almost identical backgrounds. You both had something to prove, yet all you have done is spew hate towards him, to your own teammate, to your own friend" Itachi said.

"That Dobe is not my friend! He never has and never will be my friend. He has ruined everything for me! This village has already done its purpose in my life and if I was to get stronger, I needed to go to Orochimaru. He is the only one that understands me and will allow me to grow to my full potential. Then, I will kill you, Brother!" Sasuke answered back as Itachi only shook his head. He never wished for his younger brother to turn out like this. He wanted the total opposite for him. He wanted him to protect the village at all costs. He now realized that his past actions had a profound impact on his younger brother and not in the way he intended.

"No! You do not need him, Sasuke! He spells nothing but trouble for you. I know first hand of what he's like. He is not as he seems. He has ulterior motives and is only using you! Can't you see that!" Itachi said

"I could care less if he uses me! When I grow powerful enough, not even Orochimaru will be able to match me. In fact, no one will be able to match me. I will become the ruler of this world. Hell, I will become Emperor!" Sasuke said.

"You still have time Sasuke. Realize the error of your ways as I have realized mine. You can come with me back to the West. I'm sure Naruto will give some sort of pardon to you. Then you and I can go back to how it used to be when we were younger. You don't have to go around spewing this hate anymore. We can finally be a family again," Itachi pleaded with his younger brother. He was almost to the point of tears as he saw that hate had finally consumed his younger brother completely.

"Haha! Do you hear yourself right now? How pathetic you sound? We will never be able to go back to the way things were. You made sure of that. We are no longer family anymore Itachi! We are no longer brothers! You have decided to align yourself with Naruto and now you will realize that your decision was a huge mistake. I'm going to make you pay. When this is all over, it will be I standing victorious above all of you and it will be I who kills both you and the Dobe!" Sasuke said Itachi turned around to face the window. He couldn't bear to look at his brother any longer. He realized now that Sasuke was truly lost and there was nothing he could do about it. He tried his hardest, but Sasuke had made his decision.

Silence filled the room for a few minutes as both the Uchiha brothers refused to look at each other. Itachi glanced up at the moon and realized that both of their fates were inevitable now.

"Well then, this is where we say our goodbyes, Brother. Just remember, everything I never hated you Sasuke. You were the only one I could not bring myself to hate. No matter what you say or what paths we take, we will always be brothers," Itachi said as he shunshined away from Sasuke's room. Sasuke just stared into space as he heard his Itachi's words to him. His anger was boiling at this point. He could care less about him anymore. This only made his desire to kill Itachi to grow stronger. This would be the night that Uchiha Sasuke defected from Konoha.

With the help of Danzo, some ROOT Anbu and some Oto shinobi that Orochimaru sent, Sasuke managed to free himself from his chains and escape. The border patrol tried to stop him, but it was to no avail. Sasuke had finally managed to defect from Konoha and now he was headed to Orochimaru. It wouldn't be until the next day that Kakashi and both councils would find out the news.

**The Next Day - Council Room**

"HE WHAT?!" Kakashi asked. The anger that Kakashi was feeling was one of betrayal. He couldn't believe that his student had managed to defect. He thought he was bound to the chakra sealing chains in the hospital and was put under heavy guard. He wanted an explanation and Danzo was the very person he wanted to do it.

"He has defected, Hokage-sama. My Anbu alerted me to his escape by some of Orochimaru's shinobi. He killed two squads of border patrol shinobi. It seems he is making his way to Oto as we speak," Danzo spoke as everyone in the council room was on high alert. The civilian council was shocked that there most prized asset was gone.

"Damnit. Get me a response team quickly. We need to get him back before he gets to Orochimaru!" Kakashi ordered as Danzo was quick to interrupt.

"Hokage-sama, I have already had a squad of ROOT Anbu ready to go. I will personally see to it that the boy returns to Konoha. I know we have our differences, but for the sake of the village, we need to act quickly. I will set off with my Anbu immediately and you can send your response team as back up. We both know that they will not be ready in time. We must go now!" Danzo said as he tried to kiss up to Kakashi.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was shocked at Danzo's words. He seemed like he genuinely cared for once and was very open about this. Kakashi saw no reason to not allow him to go. Though, he would make sure that his recovery team would catch up quickly to keep an eye on him.

"Fine, you may go," Kakashi said as Danzo hurried out of the council room. Kakashi turned to Shikaku, hoping his senior strategist had something in mind.

"The timing of this seems very strange, Hokage-sama. We need to tread carefully. Let us send a small team this time, but only send them as back up and for observation. We should not get too close to this. Something is not right and if we act foolishly, it may end up costing us," Shikaku said as Kakashi agreed.

"Very well, get me Team 10," Kakashi ordered.

**A few Days Later - Undisclosed Location**

Orochimaru waited patiently at the coordinates he gave to Danzo. Along the way, Sasuke managed to find Orochimaru. He immediately requested to become his student, so that he could grow stronger to eliminate both Itachi and Naruto. Orochimaru agreed and allowed the Uchiha endless supply of women that he could impregnate to give him offspring. Orochimaru also mentioned that in due time, he would bring Sasuke, Sakura Haruno for his pleasure.

Danzo finally managed to meet up with the two as his Anbu followed. They were on high alert but were ordered to stand down. As they greeted each other, Orochimaru told Danzo to follow him as they were to get to the meeting. It was being hosted in one of Orochimaru's underground hideouts, which was undisclosed even to the author. A few of the participants were there as they sat around the large circular table. They refused to talk to each other since they still had some hard feelings from their times during the Thousand Year War. Scar was also in the room as he sat quietly by himself away from the others.

Danzo, Orochimaru, and Sasuke took their seats as silence filled the room. It remained that way until most of the seats were filled and bad blood filled the air. If anything, this meeting could be more detrimental than beneficial for the Easterners that were present. Finally, the last member that was supposed to be there finally arrived, which allowed the meeting to finally start.

A man who looked much older than most of the group stood first to speak. He had long, platinum blond hair and a beard with golden eyes. He wore white royal garments that made him look like royalty.

"I'm glad we have all gathered under one roof for one common goal. I would like to thank our gracious host for making this possible. It seems our time has finally come, gentleman. Let's begin with a roll call," Father began as a few others listened. However, the majority of the group could care less.

"Who the hell made you the leader? I think you're a little too old for this grandpa," a large man with a full black beard yelled out.

"You dare to challenge me?" Father began as Blackbeard stepped forward.

"Of course. I would kill you where you stand just like I almost did years ago," Blackbeard said as he readied his Yami Yami no Mi.

"You both are just wasting our time. It shouldn't matter who the leader is, what matters is why we are all here. Sure we can keep on fighting each other, but then that brat will rule untouched. His values and beliefs sicken me. It sickens me even more than being in this room with all of you," spoke the most flamboyant of the group.

"Like you are one to talk, Donquixote. You didn't even stand a chance against the Strawhat," Blackbeard snapped back.

"Were you not the one who lost to him too? I do remember you getting whacked upside the head by his rubber arms. I can replay for you if you'd like," Donquixote Doflamingo threatened.

More quarreling started between the members present. Only Danzo, Orochimaru, Sasuke, a masked Obito, and Scar refused to get into it. They knew what their goal was. They needed to make sure that it was completed without fail. However, they would need everyone to put aside their differences for a little bit and cooperate.

Finally, Danzo stood up and shouted, "Enough!" Everyone stopped their quarreling and turned to the War Hawk. They were surprised to see that it was someone from the East who had spoken up. They believed that all of these Easterners were weak. However, they were interested in the bravery of this old man here.

"Look, though I do not understand your situations, we have important business to attend to. That boy who calls himself Emperor seems to have put us all in a bad spot. He must be stopped at once, but that can only be accomplished if we all cooperate. He has followers who would sacrifice themselves for him. Now I'm not saying we need to sacrifice ourselves for each other, however, what I'm saying is that we need to agree on the fact that getting rid of the boy is our number one priority. That is all I am concerned about," Danzo said as he sat back down in his chair. The others soon did the same as they finally gave roll call that Father had wanted in the beginning.

"Shishio Makoto is present."

"The Major is present."

"Gilgamesh is present."

"Sosuke Aizen is present."

"Hisoka Morrow is present."

"Marshall D. Teach is present."

"Dio Brando is present."

"Griffith is present."

"Tomura Shigaraki is present."

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques is present."

"Donquixote Doflamingo is present."

"Tobi is present!"

"Scar is present."

"Scar? What are you doing here? I was under the impression that you were imprisoned back in the West," Father mentioned as the Ishvalan's demeanor never changed.

"Well, you heard wrong. I managed to escape my captors in the West. You of all people should know how I am with authority. That brat doesn't know how to be a leader. Not to mention that I heard he employs Mustang on his council. Anyone who shows sympathy to Alchemists deserve my wrath and that is why I am here," Scar said as everyone liked the answer he gave.

"Very well, let us continue then."

"Mereum is present."

"Orochimaru is present."

"Uchiha Sasuke is present."

"Shimura Danzo is present."

"Father is present."

After roll call, everyone gave their opinions on the matter of taking down the Western Empire. Some believed that a full-frontal attack would work best. However, others believed that sneak attacks and hit and run tactics would work better. All of these were technically good ideas, however, due to their small numbers, it would be nearly impossible to overtake the West like that. Even though each member was powerful in their own right, taking down an Empire required more strategy than just brute strength.

"What say you, Easterners? You have not given any ideas yet," Donquixote said as Orochimaru pondered on the thought. Sasuke was not one to understand strategy yet and agreed with the full-frontal attack, believing they would be powerful enough to overtake the West. Obito was also silent as he knew no matter what they did was going to be a challenge regardless. That was when Danzo came up with what he deemed to be a brilliant idea.

"Instead of us taking the fight to them, why don't we make them come to us?" the Konoha elder spoke as this piqued some of the other member's interests.

"Go on," Aizen said.

"Well, we do know from our intel that the boy has made a few allies in the East. A couple of smaller villages and a larger one are the three that they have formed treaties with. If we were to overtake these smaller villages, he would be forced to come to protect his allies. When we can confirm that he is here in the East, then we can overtake the West and surprise them when their leader and possibly their strength is low. That would be the best time to attack. He cannot be in two places at once," Danzo suggested as the others nodded their head in agreement. They had to admit, it was an interesting plan that could work.

"It seems like a good strategy. It allows us to shed some of that much-needed blood we have been deprived of," the Major pointed out.

"I concur. This allows us to finally get back at that brat for putting us out of business," Dio Brando added.

"Then it is decided. We will reconvene in a week with our forces and begin the official planning stages. They will never know what hit them," Father said as everyone else agreed.

"Remember, we must gather as much of our forces as possible. I don't care if you have to use children, we will need all hands on deck for this," Blackbeard added.

"Wait! Before we all leave, I do believe we need a group name," Tomura Shigaraki said as he stood up with his hand raised.

"Really? Again with this name thing Tomura? You tried this during the war. No, we are not going to call ourselves the League of Villains," Grimmjow said as most of the others agreed. Tomura returned to his seat, sulking at the denial of his request.

"Why not Tengu? The boy loves to wear a Tengu mask, let us show him the true meaning of what a real Tengu does," Danzo suggested.

"Interesting. I'm not going to lie, I thought all Easterners were useless, but you have given us interesting ideas," Aizen said.

"Are we all in favor of the name?" Aizen asked as everyone nodded.

"As of today, this group shall be known as Tengu."

As the meeting was over, many of the participants went their separate ways. Danzo, Sasuke, and Orochimaru stayed behind for a quick chat. Obito lingered around for a bit, undetected to the other three. Scar also was able to remain hidden in the hideout, as he was focused on the three from the East.

"So you're not taking me back?" Sasuke asked Danzo as the Warhawk turned to him.

"No, I'm not. You will be staying with Orochimaru for the time being," Danzo said as he looked back to Orochimaru, "However you both will stay as far away from the village as possible. I will hold my end of the bargain if you hold yours. You will not make any attempts on Konoha," Danzo finished as Orochimaru smirked.

"Of course. I do not need the village anymore. I will be more concentrated on destroying the Jinchuuriki if anything. Besides, young Sasuke is going to need a teacher. He will be learning from me over the coming months. He will grow strong in that time," the Snake said as Danzo nodded. His ROOT Anbu appeared to escort him out of the premises.

"Better meet that back up team Kakashi sent. Make sure it seems like we couldn't get to Sasuke in time," Danzo thought.

"Now Sasuke-kun, I believe your training should start immediately. You will have time to repopulate your clan later. Come with me, we have much to prepare for," Orochimaru said as Sasuke followed him deeper into the underground compound.

Meanwhile, Scar had all the information he needed. He needed to make his way back West before he was detected and let Naruto know about the recent developments. He would then need to make his way back here for the planning process.

**A Few Days Later - Western Empire Council Chambers**

Scar stood in front of the entire council. The moment he arrived, he was ordered to meet with Naruto and the council. He had much to divulge and plenty to reveal about not only this meeting but also what happened in Konoha.

He explained the members who were apart of the meeting. Though the council was not surprised per se, they were disappointed that the past actions were now kind of catching up to them as well. Jiraiya folded his arms, closed his eyes, and huffed a little, "You were too soft on them, Naruto. You should've finished them off when you had the chance," Jiraiya said as Tsunade turned to her adopted grandson.

"What is he talking about, Naruto?" she asked. Naruto took a deep breath as he prepared to explain.

"It was during the time of war, that we encountered many factions and warlords that didn't agree with our philosophies. So naturally, we fought it out with each other. We prevailed, however, some of the warlords managed to escape. To be honest, I did spare some of them, but that was only because they were in no condition to continue their fight. I left them heavily injured and there was no way they could return to the same form as they use to," Naruto explained.

"Yes, but they can still recover. Six years is a long time, Brother. I agree with Jiraiya that we should've killed them when we had the chance," Lelouch added.

"I don't know why you spared them anyways. You should've just finished them off just like you did with Char Aznable. Then they wouldn't be a problem right now," Jiraiya said as Naruto conceded that his godfather was right.

"I know, I know but with Char it was different. He nearly killed my wife! Not to mention that he killed Suzaku. I lost control. I remember telling myself that I would never lose control like that again. That was the only time I allowed Kurama to control me," Naruto said as he tried to make a point.

"The past doesn't matter anymore. What matters now is that we eliminate them before they strike next," Euphemia said as she entered the room. The entire council stood up as she took a seat next to her husband.

"Please continue, Scar," Euphemia said.

"Yes, Empress-sama. So, their strategy seems to be that they want to go after our allies in the East. They want to draw us out and are banking on the Boss to personally face off against them. This leaves them an opening to attack here, which I find terribly stupid since they wouldn't stand a chance, even with their combined forces," Scar explained.

"Interesting, they want us to come to them instead of taking the fight to us. Bold strategy. They're banking on the fact that Naruto may take our strongest fighters with him to defend our allies which would leave the Capital relatively weakened," Jiraiya said.

"That seems to be the strategy they are going with. However, they are going to be finalizing the plans in less than a week. I'll know the completed plans then. It's funny that they seemed to accept the strategy from someone from the East. I could tell they seemed to view them as inferior, but they accepted their input nonetheless," Scar said.

"Danzo. That man will soon get his soon enough. Besides that, you said there was something else we should know?" Naruto asked.

"Well I think this goes more for you Boss, but the Uchiha seems to have defected from Konoha. He arrived with Orochimaru when they first entered. It seems that Danzo had something to do with it. He mentioned that they had an agreement in place to spare Konoha. It seems you are the object of their obsession now," Scar mentioned. Everyone else in the room started to write vigorously in their notes. It seems they were adding on to the plans that they had put in place.

"Thank kami!" Naruto shouted. Everyone, including his wife, looked at him confusingly, "It's about damn time that Teme defected. I thought he was going to jerk off in that village until I destroyed it. He will finally become a challenge. It was getting boring kicking his ass without him putting much of a fight. Don't worry, we will plan for him later. However, that makes their village a lot weaker. I think a visit with the Fire Daimyo is in order," Naruto said gleefully as everyone else kind of shook with fear. Naruto had a plan up his sleeve, something he had yet to divulge with the rest of them and they weren't sure if they really wanted to know about it.

"So what's the next move. We already had a contingency plan for this, but it seems you maybe have something else in mind?" Roy Mustang asked. Naruto didn't take very long to answer.

"We will evacuate both Spring and Wave. It seems like those will be the likely targets first before they even head to Suna. I assume due to their low numbers, they will not have as many scouts in the area, as usual, so we should be able to evacuate without them knowing. Let's send in the carriers to get them out. Cornelia can draw up a more specific plan. In Spring, I want our available Super Sentai Squadrons to go undercover and pose as civilians. Once they come and try to ransack the village, they can give it to them. I would assume they will only send underlings. The same with Wave except I want the Riders to go. I feel like the bigger force will be dispatched to Suna. That is where you all come in. I will dispatch a selected squad to Suna. I'm sure they will be enough for whatever they try to throw at us. The rest of us will remain here in the Capital and let them come to us," Naruto said. His council really couldn't argue with it and would hash out the finer details after the meeting.

"Scar, just keep up the reconnaissance. Once you know of the full details, report back immediately," Naruto ordered as the Ishvalan nodded in obedience.

"I will not fail you, Boss," he said as he took his leave.

"Good. Looks like we'll be busy the next few days. Let's double-check everything and make sure we are all ready for the battle ahead," Naruto said. He also knew that this would be the right time to make good on his promise to allow those who wanted to leave Konoha to come to the West. He would need to make sure the Fire Daimyo was on board with it, not that he would decline anyway.

**Emperor's Palace**

Itachi had finally made his way back to the West. He made the long journey to Konoha in hopes of being able to convince his brother to see the errors of his ways. Unfortunately, it seemed that the hate had finally consumed Sasuke to the point of no return. Though he felt depressed about seeing his little brother in that state, there was nothing he could do for him anymore. Sasuke made his choice and Itachi would make his. He knew that following Naruto was now the path he needed to take.

He was not his usual self as he entered the Palace. He was still thinking of Sasuke's declaration that they were no longer brothers. Itachi wished that things had turned out different, but it seemed that fate had other plans for him. As he walked into his room, he noticed Naruto was there waiting for him. He was looking out of the large window that overlooked the green forest in the back of the Palace. Itachi had requested this room because of the greenery that he could see out in the backyard. Naruto's hands were together behind his back as Itachi entered.

"You missed the council meeting this morning," Naruto said, not looking at the Uchiha.

"I had some other things to take care of," Itachi replied.

"How was your chat with your brother?" Naruto asked, still refusing to look at Itachi.

"How did you know?" Itachi asked.

"Well, it's not every day that one of my personal advisors decides to take a weeklong vacation without any prior notice. Especially at a time like this," Naruto said as he finally turned to face Itachi, "So, how did it go?"

"It went just about as well as I expected," Itachi answered.

"I see he will not change, even for you," Naruto said.

"He will not. It seems the hate that I instilled in him has finally consumed him. He doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. His only goal now is to kill both you and me and he will stop at nothing to achieve that goal," Itachi explained.

"Figures. No wonder he defected at the time that he did. He's going to coming nonstop until we stop him," Naruto said as Itachi wasn't surprised one bit at the news. The usually stoic Uchiha sat down on one of the chairs near the entrance to the room and put his face in his hands. He was so frustrated and knew that it was his fault that his brother turned out like that.

Naruto walked over to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Look, there is nothing we can do for him now. To be honest, I want him back almost as much as you do. Some part of me still sees him as my friend and rival, even though he has caused me so much pain in my life. However, he is now our enemy. You will need to remember that from now on. Though I know he is your little brother, he has made it clear that he does not want the same peace you and I do. I know this may be hard, maybe even harder than when you had to kill your parents, but you must understand that he threatens everything we worked hard for. You need to ask yourself that when the time comes, will you be able to stop him, or will your guilt and past transgressions cause you to allow him to gain the upper hand," Naruto said as he walked out of the room.

For the first time in a long time, Itachi felt tears falling down his cheeks as he pondered on Naruto's words. On the outside, Itachi felt that he would not let Sasuke get the better of him. However, on the inside, he was unsure of how he felt. He would not get much sleep that night, as he pondered one of the biggest decisions he would have to make.

**A/N: Tengu in Japanese folklore are like demons and harbingers of war. They like to cause chaos and disruption. **


	17. Exodus

**Konoha - Council Room **

Danzo returned the village, escorted by his Anbu. He had managed to catch Team 10 before they got too close to Orochimaru's hideout. He made sure to produce some "battle scars" on his appearance, so it made it seem that he tried to get the Uchiha back. He and his Anbu did this to ensure they looked the part. They managed to trick Team 10 and all of them returned to Konoha empty-handed.

Danzo appeared before Kakashi and the council and lamented his failures. He tried to get sympathy by describing how hard he tried to get the Uchiha back. He described how strong Orochimaru was and how his Oto shinobi evenly matched his Anbu. He also mentioned how the Uchiha managed to get in a few punches as well. The civilian council felt bad for him, while the shinobi council, along with Kakashi, were a bit suspicious about it. However, Shikamaru reported that they were not able to get there in time, and the fact that Danzo and his Anbu had cuts and bruises only added to the story.

Despite not having the full trust of Danzo, Kakashi couldn't do anything about it. The facts pointed to Danzo and his Anbu trying to get Sasuke back. He was beginning to wonder when would Naruto come and get them because he was getting very tired of this whole situation.

"I must request Hokage-sama, that we prepare for war. This situation may only make the Snake more power-hungry than before. He could strike at any moment. That means all hands need to be on deck for this. Regardless if the shinobi are Jonin or Genin, we need all the help we can get. That Snake is planning this village's downfall and we must be prepared to protect it at all costs," Danzo said as everyone kind of had to agree with his point. With much reluctance, Kakashi gave the go-ahead to have all shinobi rank of Genin and higher to mobilize into teams. This meant that Genin like Team Konohamaru and Hanabi Hyuuga was now going to be on the front lines.

Four-man squads were mobilized immediately after the council meeting was finished. Kakashi and Shikaku had plenty of work to arrange these shinobi with Jonin senseis. Unfortunately, there just weren't enough Jonin for each squad, which led Chunin like the Konoha 11, to become leaders of their own squads.

**Danzo's Office**

"Sir, it seems that the Hokage has started to mobilize the new squads. What are your next orders?" asked a masked Anbu. Danzo opened one of the drawers underneath his desk and pulled out a file. The file wasn't very big but had several names written down. He gave it to the waiting Anbu.

"I want you to retrieve these ones for me. I want them alive. They are going to be the future of ROOT and also will help us in making sure our village remains standing. Also here," Danzo ordered as he took out another file, "You will be needing this. Take a squad and follow these instructions to retrieve them. You will ensure that your mission succeeds. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir!" the Anbu said as he hurried out of the room. Danzo grinned as he realized things were starting to look up for him.

"First we will take care of that brat in the West, then I will be the one to become Hokage and be the savior of this village. It is time Konoha reclaimed its rightful place on top," Danzo thought as he sat back and waited.

**With Naruto**

As this was going on in Konoha, Naruto was doing some preparations of his own. He was preparing for his meeting with the Fire Daimyo. Knowing full well what was to come, Naruto believed that it was now the time to bring those who wanted to start a new life in the West. Though he hated the village, hated all of the people, he still wanted to believe that there was good in most of them. He had seen that people could change, like Asuma or even Ino for that matter. He also knew that there were people like Shikamaru and Choji, who would stick up for him, yet didn't have a voice. He also knew that he was taking a big risk by bringing a large group of people from Konoha to the West. But that was Naruto. No matter the years that had gone by, he was still the same person on the inside. He needed to do the right thing, even if the right thing may bite him in the ass in the future.

However, before he could meet with the Fire Daimyo, he would need to meet with his own boss on this matter.

"So let me get this straight, you want to bring people from your old home here?" Euphemia asked as Naruto nodded in confirmation.

"People that have caused you so much pain over your entire life? You want to bring those people into our country?" Euphemia asked.

"Not all of them. Just those who I have deemed worthy. They and their families should be saved from that village's impending destruction," Naruto replied.

"But you want to bring them here? You're going to give them a home and a way of life just like that? Look, Dear, I love you, but do you not hear how stupid and ignorant you sound right now. Yes, some of them deserve a second chance, but do we really need to bring them here? I've said it before Dear, I don't want any of them here. No matter if you deem them worthy or not, I do not want them here at all. You can give them a different place to stay, but I will not accept them living here in the West," Euphemia stated boldly. Naruto looked disappointed in her response.

"But Euphie, this is something that must be done. Not all of them deserve to die. Yes, some of them may have hurt me when I was younger, but they have done so much to become better people. Though I have much hate for the village and yes maybe I do hate most of the people in the village, I cannot allow that hate to cloud my judgment. I cannot allow this hate to consume me as it has consumed Sasuke. I must give them at least a shot at redemption. Nothing will be given to them, they will have to earn it. Look at Sasuke, look at the chances I gave him. He never even tried. And do you know why? It's because he has been consumed by his hatred for Itachi and for me. Everything he does is because he wants to take down both of us. He's going to stop at nothing until he achieves that. He's even defected to his village's worst enemy so that he can grow stronger. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He is blinded by his revenge," Naruto explained.

"You cannot use him as an example. That boy probably has been nothing but trouble since the day he was born," Euphemia said.

Naruto shook his head, "Do you know that Sasuke and Itachi were nearly inseparable when they were younger? Sasuke wanted to be just like Itachi when he grew up. Itachi was his idol. Itachi used to tell me about how much of a cheery and happy kid Sasuke was. However, when Itachi killed their entire clan and left Sasuke by himself, that started the change Sasuke to the person he has become now. I will not make that same mistake. Look, you don't have to like them or even talk to them, but you will give them a chance. Redemption is not earned in a day or a week or even a year. It is not something that can be bought. We have to see it for ourselves. To be honest, they may even surprise you. I just want you to give them a chance like the one I will give them. I cannot allow for this cycle of hatred to continue. I will be the one to break it, just as I will help be a part of bringing peace to this world."

Euphemia thought long and hard of her husband's words. Though she hated those from Konoha with all her being, Naruto did make a good point. If they didn't give them a second chance, then that makes them like everyone else. Naruto's words really made her think about her actions and her attitude towards people she didn't know. She realized that her husband had gone through the same situation when he was in Konoha. No one knew who he really was, they only saw him as the Kyuubi incarnate. Some didn't try to acknowledge him or befriend him for that very reason. Now, she realized that because she had heard horror stories about those from Konoha, she was now judging them without knowing who they really were. Like she always did, Euphemia now had to put her trust in her husband.

After a few minutes, Euphemia finally agreed with Naruto's plan.

"On one condition," she said as Naruto wondered what she was up to.

"The clan heads and your classmates will all be brought the throne room. I want to see them for myself. If they try anything, I will not hesitate to kick them out or even have them thrown in the dungeons and killed. I trust you, Dear, but I too help run this Empire. I want to make sure we are bringing in people who will contribute to our society," Euphemia explained as Naruto smiled back at her.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

**The Next Day - Fire Daimyo's Palace**

After getting Euphemia's approval for his plan, Naruto sent a letter to the Fire Daimyo to request a meeting. The Daimyo started to sweat when he read it. He knew that he didn't have a hand in banishing Naruto all those years ago, but he did allow it to happen. He was frightened at the thought of the young Emperor parading his way to his palace and causing havoc. Even the messenger that brought the letter to the Daimyo scared the shit out of him. He immediately accepted Naruto's request for a meeting. Once Naruto was given the word of the Daimyo's approval, he got his special guard together and immediately mobilized his air force.

Naruto Hiraishined himself and his special guard to Spring country and made their trek to the Daimyo's palace. They were met by the Daimyo's guard at the gate and were escorted into the palace.

The Daimyo sat at his seat sweating bullets. He did not know why Naruto wanted this meeting, but he knew it couldn't be good. He had been praying to kami that Naruto would show mercy on him and not kill him. He made sure that it was only him and a few of his guards in the meeting. He did not want any other councilman to try and talk back to Naruto. He needed to make sure the young Emperor was accommodated with all of his needs, no matter what the price may be.

Naruto and the guard were escorted to the Daimyo's council room. The room was empty with only the long, rectangular table in the middle of it. The Daimyo sat on one side, surrounded by several chairs on both sides of the table. Naruto entered and immediately noticed the look on the Daimyo's face as he laid eyes on him. He could tell that the Daimyo was putty in his hands today. He would take full advantage of that. Naruto took his seat directly across the table from the Daimyo. His guard took their positions on the side of the room as they too wondered how this meeting would go.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Daimyo-sama," Naruto said as he flashed his trademark smile.

"O-Of course. A-Anything for the E-E-Emperor of the United West," the Daimyo managed to squeak out. He was uncomfortable with the Emperor's seemingly carefree attitude.

"Well that's great to hear," Naruto replied. "Listen, I'm a straight shooter when it comes to matters like these so I just want to let you know beforehand that I'm going to be destroying Konoha. I think that the village needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. I know you don't have much control of what goes on in there, but I can assure you that you will agree with me on the matter," Naruto explained as the Daimyo's eyes widened.

"I-I-I s-see. I-I know you were b-banished many years ago and I do apologize for that mistake. However, c-could you by any chance, spare the v-village?" the Daimyo asked.

"No! There is nothing but evil and corruption in that village. Besides, I know you have not been profiting from that village at all. You have barely gotten any business and have lost all of your allies. Do you think that's going to be changing anytime soon?" Naruto asked as it made the Daimyo think about it for a second. The Emperor had a point. The village had lost a lot of business. They were not able to get many missions due to the low numbers and the fact that their former allies refused to do any business with them. Rebuilding the village would be a good thing.

Naruto could see that the Daimyo was coming to the realization of his words. Though he was a powerful politician, the Daimyo was still human. He knew the Daimyo was losing both power and influence amongst the other Daimyo. Konoha was becoming an embarrassment to him. Things needed to change, no matter how reluctant he wanted to do it.

The Daimyo dropped his head in defeat, "You are right about that. However, what about the people in the village? Surely you will not kill all of them? Though I may not know or condone their actions, they are still my people nonetheless," the Daimyo said.

"Well, that's why I am here. To discuss with you my plan on bringing those who wish to come to the West," Naruto replied as the Daimyo was surprised at the answer.

Naruto explained to him the plan of what he wanted to do. The Nara, Akimichi, and Sarutobi clans would be allowed safe passage to the West. The others would also be allowed, but they would have to be approved by Naruto and Euphemia before they could enter. The clan heads and their families would be allowed to come if they swore their allegiance to the West. However, there were a few that were not allowed any passage. Danzo and the Haruno clan just to name a few. Naruto was unsure about the Hyuuga but would give them a chance due to Hinata's pleading for it.

Naruto also mentioned that he had no influence on the councils as the Daimyo did and wanted the Daimyo to help expedite those that wanted to come West. He wanted the Daimyo to allow anyone to go without fearing the repercussions of defection.

Though the Daimyo was surprised by the request, he accepted. Naruto also mentioned that once the new Konoha was rebuilt, the clans would be given the choice of whether they wanted to return to their old home or stay in the West. It would be their choice on the matter. The Daimyo agreed to the terms and was given instructions by Naruto of how they were going to go about this.

Before he left, the Daimyo hoped to kami that Naruto was not going to kill him after, "I would like to apologize for your banishment, young Naruto. You never should've had to go through all of that," the Daimyo said.

"It is fine, Daimyo-sama. I know you had no knowledge or part to play in it. I will not bring harm to you or your family," Naruto said as the Daimyo took a breathe a deep sigh of relief.

**Later That Week- Konoha**

In the short time since Kakashi had given the go-ahead to have all hands on deck, Konoha had turned almost into a military state. Shinobi were everywhere. Even civilian children who possessed little to no chakra powers or shinobi skills were being introduced into the academy and were being given crash courses. Kakashi would hate to admit it, but they needed to prepare for an attack at any time. Even though he had no love for the village anymore, he needed to make sure that most of the people that wanted to go West would be given that opportunity. He hoped Naruto would make his way soon so that they could all finally be gone from this place.

Unfortunately, since many of the squads were new and were patrolling the surrounding and border area of the Land of Fire, casualties started to go up. Every day was a different report of a squad going missing or being killed in action. Skirmishes with Iwa and Kumo shinobi were becoming prevalent as they remained at the border. A few squads even encountered scouts from those villages as they were assessing Konoha's strengths or lack thereof.

Among the first casualties that were reported was Hanabi Hyuga's squad. She was teamed up with two other Hyuga Main branch members. Their Jonin sensei was another main branch Hyuuga member. According to the Anbu's report that Kakashi received, Hanabi's squad was ambushed by Oto shinobi at the border. Their bodies were never found. Only the Jonin Hyuuga was able to make it back alive. He was heavily injured and was being treated in the critical care unit at the hospital. He wouldn't last much longer and died a day after his surgery.

Hiashi refused to leave his room as he cried after hearing the reports. He had lost his youngest daughter and lamented his failures as a father. He couldn't believe that he had failed not only his wife and Hinata but now Hanabi. He wasn't given much time to grieve as the Hyuuga council decided to pick a new successor now that Hiashi didn't have any more children. One of the council member's sons, Hajime, was chosen as a successor to Hiashi. He was the eldest son of the council member and he was also the most ruthless. He was particularly old fashioned when it came to Hyuuga traditions. He had used the Caged Bird Seal to kill a Branch House member over a game Jan Ken Po. He was never charged for the act, mostly because the other Branch House members were too scared to accuse him, for fear of dying as well.

Though Hiashi tried to object, there was nothing he could do. Like Kakashi, he too had hoped that Naruto returned soon so that he could see Hinata again.

Another casualty that was reported was the death of Team Konohamaru. They had been sent for a recon mission at the border along with Ebisu. Unfortunately, Ebisu had been incapacitated and knocked unconscious which forced Team Konohamaru to fend for themselves. They were outmatched by the Iwa shinobi that they faced and were ultimately killed. Their bodies were never found as well. Ebisu managed to return to Konoha with the help of some Anbu who had found him. After the Anbu and Ebisu gave their report to Kakashi, the current Hokage had the most difficult job of relaying the news to Asuma.

When he heard the news, Asuma wept uncontrollably for his nephew. Like Hiashi, this was also another person that Asuma had failed to protect. First, it was his father, the Sandaime and now it was Konohamaru. Kurenai could not do much except for trying to console him. Team Konohamaru's funeral was held the next day. Although he had already made up his mind, Asuma now desperately wanted to leave the village. He had nothing left in the village to live for. He knew that going West would be the only way to ensure that he and his family would be safe. He needed Naruto to come soon, or else he would decide to go himself.

Reports like these started to become common. Mass funerals were held for those that had died during their missions. Kakashi now realized that it was a mistake to allow those who were not qualified to be placed on the front lines. This responsibility fell on him. So many innocent lives killed and for what? To try and protect a village that was about to see its last days. It became clear to Kakashi that if Naruto wasn't going to act, he would. He called a council meeting, the last one he would ever oversee.

**Konoha - Council Room**

Everyone poured into the council room as they began to wonder why they were here. They had just had a council meeting the day before and it was odd for them to hold meetings on back to back days like this. However, as everyone got there, they noticed that Kakashi was already waiting for all of them. As they took their seats, Kakashi stood to get the meetings started.

"I see everyone is here. Let us begin," Kakashi said as a civilian council member asked what they were all doing here.

"I'm about to explain that. Please refrain from asking me any questions until after I am finished. Look, I realize that we have fallen on tough times. We have gotten reports damn near every day that we have lost a squad or member of our shinobi. I believe I made a mistake in allowing those who were not qualified to serve on the front lines," Kakashi started and Danzo was beginning to wonder where the Copy Nin was going with this. It was beginning to sound like a resignation speech. Danzo started to get excited at this. Maybe his plans would be coming along faster than he expected.

"I feel that the lost lives are my fault. Because they are my fault, I feel like I should be the one to take responsibility for my actions. As of today, I-," Kakashi was about to say the magic words and Danzo was about to leap out of his chair to declare himself Hokage when the doors to the council room opened unannounced.

Danzo stood up quickly, "Who dares to disturb these meeting proceedings?" he questioned.

"I dare, Shimura," the Fire Daimyo spoke as he made his presence known in the council room. Danzo quickly recomposed himself and bowed towards the Fire Daimyo. Everyone else in the room did the same as an Anbu brought a seat for the Daimyo to sit on.

"I do apologize for the unannounced visit, Hokage-sama. I hope I was not interrupting something," the Daimyo spoke as Kakashi raised his head.

"Not at all. I was just going to make a quick announcement, but if you need to speak, the floor is yours Daimyo-sama," Kakashi said.

"Oh, well I do have a little bit of an announcement of my own, but I think I can wait till you are done. So please continue Hokage-sama," the Daimyo said as Kakashi bowed again.

"Okay so as I was saying, since those lives are my responsibility, effective immediately, I am resigning from the position of Hokage," Kakashi said as the entire civilian council went into a frenzy.

"Who's going to lead us now?" said a councilwoman.

"We are doomed!" said another councilman.

There were many comments like this. Though as usual, the shinobi council was not surprised by the announcement. If anything, they too would've resigned if not for their positions that they held in Konoha.

The Fire Daimyo looked surprised but remained calm. He knew that Kakashi would want to go West with Naruto and this was his one chance.

"I see. Well, that is rather unfortunate news Hokage-sama. However, now that there is a vacancy as Hokage, we must choose another one soon, or else this village will be doomed," the Daimyo spoke as Danzo rose. It was now his time to shine.

"I believe that I should be the one to take the mantle of Hokage now, Daimyo-sama. I am the most powerful of us here and will do everything in my might to protect this village, even if it kills me," Danzo said as the shinobi council hoped the War Hawk would die sooner rather than later.

The Daimyo studied Danzo for a moment before he put it up to a vote. The Civilian council unanimously voted for Danzo, while none of the Shinobi council voted. With it being more or less a tie, it was now up to the Daimyo to make the decision.

"I do believe that elder Shimura is the most qualified to lead the village and speaks the truth when he says that he will do everything in his power to protect it. I see no reason to deny it. I accept the proposition that makes Shimura Danzo the next Hokage of Konoha," he said. Everyone from the civilian side cheered as Danzo grinned. His plans were finally coming to fruition. Now it was time to get the Shinobi council onboard with it. Kakashi wanted to puke at the thought of Danzo being Hokage. The village was going to burn and rot very soon.

"Very well. Now, as your Hokage, I would like to-," Danzo started before the Daimyo stood up to cut him off.

"I apologize, Hokage-sama, but I would like to make my announcement now," he said as Danzo obliged.

"Now it has been brought to my attention of some of the things that have been going on in this village the past few years. To be quite honest, I'm not sure if I should believe these stories or that I should just shrug it off as rumors. However, it has become clear to me that ever since you all banished the Jinchuuriki, this village has lost both its influence and power," the Daimyo started.

"Daimyo-sama! It is not the fault of this council. It is the fault of the Jinchuuriki himself! He has brainwashed so many into believing he is all-powerful when he is not!" shouted Danzo.

"Silence! No matter if you are Hokage or not, I am still your boss! I am the one that provides this village with money and resources. Ever since this council decided to banish the Uzumaki, not only have I lost influence with the other Daimyo's, we have lost a considerable amount of income as well," the Daimyo explained.

"Daimyo-sama, I can say for certain that this village has not lost money. In fact, we were in the black this past quarter!" spoke the Haruno on the council.

"Do you think I am stupid, Haruno? I receive quarterly and annual reports. I read them with my own eyes. You are right that we were in the black this past quarter, but that was the first time in six years. I know we won't be in the black next quarter either, especially with the mission incomes that we have lost. Do not try and hide the truth with me!" the Daimyo responded, causing the Haruno councilwoman to look away in shame.

"With that being said, I have decided that I can no longer fund this village. I am going to be cutting back my funding for this village. I have lost face with the other Daimyo's and if that continues, I will be left a laughing stock among my peers. So as of today, I will be cutting back 100% of my funding towards this village," the Daimyo announced as the council went crazy. The civilians were shouting over the other, wondering why the Daimyo would do such a thing at this time.

"But Daimyo-sama, we will most certainly lose the coming war that is upon us. We stand no chance if you eliminate Konoha's budget," Danzo said, trying to appease the Daimyo, but he was growing furious at this old man's words. Just when he was announced Hokage, the Daimyo had to pull a stunt like this. He needed to use his Kotoamatsukami now to influence the Daimyo, otherwise, Konoha was doomed. He flowed some chakra into his hidden Sharingan as he looked at the Daimyo. However, it failed to work again.

"How? How can this be? This is the second time this has failed me. It has worked before but when I need it most, it refuses to work," Danzo thought. Unbeknownst to Danzo, his Sharingan worked perfectly fine, however, when Naruto had met the Daimyo, he placed a Fuinjutsu seal on him. The seal would nullify any genjutsu that was to be placed on the Daimyo. Naruto remembered what Alucard had told him and made sure the Daimyo wouldn't be placed under anyone's control.

"I could care less of this coming war. Right now, I could care less about this village. I see now that the rumors and stories I had heard were right. I have failed to keep tabs of the events that took place here. It seems that now my past is catching up with me. I will not have this village become my crux any longer. Now, for those of you that may not feel comfortable with this new chance, I will allow those individuals and their families, hell even their clans to move elsewhere. You will not be deemed a traitor or a deserter. You will be allowed to leave on your own. I will make sure that no one stops any of you from leaving should you so choose. Everyone will have 48 hours to make their decision. I will also harbor no hard feelings upon any of you. In fact, if any of you or your families decided to move, I ask for your forgiveness. I was not able to provide for you a stable way of life and I hope you find a better situation wherever that may take you," the Daimyo said as Danzo was now livid.

"NO! As Hokage of this village, I will not allow that! Any of you who try and leave will be arrested and placed in solitary. You are still citizens of this village. If you do manage to leave, you will be placed in the Bingo Book and will be hunted for the rest of your lives!" Danzo shouted, incensed that the Daimyo would even declare such a thing. Danzo needed everyone he could get in the village so that he could get to Naruto.

"I am still the Daimyo of this village! I have not cut off my funding yet! Therefore, I am still your boss, Shimura! To make sure that my orders stand I will have my personal bodyguard here to ensure that. Also, I have struck a deal with a powerful country and they have agreed to send some of their forces to ensure that my orders are carried out as well. You will all obey them without fail," the Daimyo said.

"We no longer take our orders from you! You are not the leader of this village anymore! Anbu, arrest this man for his treachery to this village!" Danzo ordered. Unfortunately, none of them appeared.

"Anbu!" he shouted again.

Again, there was no movement of any sort.

"I don't think you're minions will be joining us any time soon," said a voice. Everyone turned to the direction of the voice and leaning against the window plane was a short man with blonde hair. He carried a sword on his back and looked generally disinterested at the current situation.

"Who are you?" asked Shikaku.

"That is not currently important right now. What is important is that we have been sent by the Emperor to ensure that those who want to move, are free to do so and will not be stopped by anyone," Meliodas said.

"You struck a deal with the Jinchuuriki!" Danzo shouted, unamused with the situation.

"I did. He was most gracious with his terms as well. Plus, it would be unwise to get on his bad side. Especially considering who his father was," the Daimyo responded.

"The Jinchuuriki brat? I thought he was just an orphan? Chosen by the Yondaime to become the beast?" asked a civilian councilman. He was immediately met with a sword to his neck.

"Don't you dare speak of the Emperor like that," Ichigo said as no one even saw him enter the room. It was at that moment that a special squad appeared. They had been handpicked and chosen by Naruto to ensure that those who wanted to come West could do so. They basically surrounded the exterior of the council room. A few even appeared behind the Daimyo as more protection.

"You set us up," Daimyo said.

"You brought it upon yourselves. Though if you would like, you can try and convince everyone to stay, You have the most influential of the Konoha clans in this room, Shimura. You talk about yourself so high and mighty, let's see if that really works on actual people," the Daimyo taunted.

Danzo knew that he was in no situation to fight back. He knew the skill and power of the Western fighters. Not even the combined powers of Konoha's shinobi forces could defeat this group of fighters that Naruto sent. It angered him that this was occurring at a time like this. That Jinchuuriki was getting in the way of everything. He was becoming a thorn in his side. He couldn't wait until he could finally take him down. Until then, he needed to do his best to try and convince everyone to remain in Konoha.

"I know that Daimyo has decided to cut funding, however, I believe we can find other ways to collect income for this village. We are still a powerful village with everyone here. Despite this adversity, we must stick toget-," he started when a *clink* was heard on the table.

It was Kakashi's hitai-ate. He threw it on the table as everyone was stunned at this.

"I have been in this rotten village long enough. We all failed Naruto in his time of need and we deserve his wrath. However, I would like to see him one more time and apologize to him for everything. If it eases his pain to kill me then so be it. I deserve that. At least I'll know that I have lived a full life knowing that the one who will become the savior of this world we be Naruto," Kakashi explained as he walked towards the exit.

"You always had a soft spot for that boy, Kakashi. You will now live on as a traitor. However, now that that's out of the way, as I was say-," Danzo said, another *clink* was heard. This time it was Shikaku Nara.

"We all made a mistake in banishing the boy. Atoning for our sins is the best way to stay alive. I see that this village has no future. It is time for the Nara clan to move elsewhere," Shikaku said as he too walked towards the exit. Before Danzo could speak again came another,

*Clink* *Clink*

Both Inoichi Yamanaka and Choza Akimichi threw their hitai-ate in the pile.

*Clink*

Shibi Aburame threw his in as well.

*Clink*

Hiashi Hyuuga threw his in as well. This was finally the chance he needed to see his daughter again.

*Clink*

The last of the shinobi council to throw their headband into the pile was Tsume Inuzuka, who had to think long and hard of her decision.

"You are all citizens of Konoha! You cannot leave without consequences!" yelled the Haruno councilwoman.

"We were citizens of Konoha. We all were. Now we are just a group of rogue shinobi, seeking to find a home," Shibi stated bluntly as they all left.

Danzo and the civilian council were left stunned. All of the strongest shinobi in the village was going to be moving. They would lose most of their power for sure. Danzo knew that it was now up to him to try and stop the Jinchuuriki.

**48 Hours Later**

Most of the clans waited at the main gate of the village as they prepared for their journey. They were told by Naruto's squad that he would get there with their ride. Most of the clans would be leaving the village. All members of the Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Sarutobi, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans would be leaving. All of the branch members of the Hyuuga would also be moving, even though they were met with much resistance from the Main House. A few Main House members activated the cursed seals of the Branch members, however, those Main House members would be struck down by Guts. The Branch members finally saw their freedom and wanted to make the most of the opportunity.

In addition to the clans, most of the Konoha 11 would also be moving. Team 10 consisting of the Ino-Shika-Cho members would be accompanying their clans. Team Guy would be making the move including Guy himself. Both Shino and Kiba would also be moving with their clans. It came as a surprise to many that Kiba would be making the move, especially after trying to attack Naruto in the throne room. However, Tsume would make sure that her son would properly apologize and reflect on his actions. She hoped that Naruto would have some mercy on him, even though it may be a longshot.

Others who would be leaving were Ibiki Morino and Anko Mitarashi. Iruka Umino would finally get the chance to see his student again, hoping that Naruto would forgive him for his inability to do anything. They and a few other civilians who had some common sense made up a large group of people who would be moving West.

As they waited at the main gate of the village, they attracted a large crowd. Danzo and the civilian council looked on as the large group of former Konoha citizens was prepared to move. It made him angry that he could not do anything about it. Naruto's fighters created a shell around the large group to ensure their safety.

The 48 hours were nearly up and many were beginning to wonder if Naruto was really going to come. Ichigo had given the Daimyo word that Naruto would be there shortly. As if on cue, a large unknown object was moving towards them. They could hear the loud humming noise that the object was making as it moved towards the gate. It confused all of them as they had not seen anything like this before.

A large airship carrier made its descent and landed near the front of the Konoha main gate. The trees and shrubs were blown away by the power of the airships propellers. As it landed, a large door started to open from the back. Out stepped a familiar face that most of them had not seen in years.

Naruto walked out surrounded by his personal guard as he walked to the end of the platform. He looked at the large number of people who were awaiting his arrival. He looked neither happy nor sad or angry as he signaled to the Daimyo that it was time for them to come aboard and the Daimyo let everyone know. The clans started to run to the ship as Naruto and his guard got out of the way. They looked at how many people were going to be coming West and it even surprised Naruto. He didn't think this many people would be wanting to move from Konoha. However, he did welcome the fact that these many people were now looking for redemption.

Many of the people bowed before they made their way onto the large airship. Though he didn't like it, Naruto could deal with it for now. Once everyone made their way onto the aircraft, he then turned his attention to those that were left in Konoha. These were the ones that were taking their chances. It would be a big mistake.

"I will say this one last time. If anyone tries to trespass into my lands to try and harm my people, you will be met with deadly consequences. I am tired of playing games. You will soon learn that the past has a way of catching up!" Naruto said as he headed back into the aircraft.

The large door closed and the plane took off. Everyone who remained in Konoha watched as the aircraft disappeared into the night sky. It was then that the Daimyo took his leave and left Konoha alone. They were now by themselves. Left for dead basically. Danzo would need a miracle to even get within striking distance of Naruto now.

**Several Hours Later - Western Empire**

It took several hours for the aircraft to make its way to the West. Many people were actually scared about the flight due to it being new. However, there was little turbulence and they arrived safely. Everyone piled out and were taken to a waiting area where they would be processed with their basic needs. They would be given a temporary housing assignment. However, the clan heads, the Konoha 11, Kakashi and Iruka were escorted to the throne room. For those who had been there before, they felt uneasy about this. They hoped that it would not be a repeat of the first time.

As they entered the Throne room, Naruto and Euphemia sat on their chairs with their guard on the side of the room as usual. Jiraiya, Itachi, Tsunade, and Kisame stood on the flat ground in front of the stairs leading to Naruto and Euphemia's seats. Hinata also made an appearance, though she was off to the side with the guard. The rather large group from Konoha was presented in the same way as the first time they were there. They bowed before Naruto and Euphemia as both the Emperor and Empress studied them.

"Well, it seems that many of you have decided to take my offer to move here," Naruto began as everyone kept their heads bowed.

"Raise your heads, I would like to see all of your faces," Euphemia said as the group did as they were told. Euphemia was looking for someone as she scanned the group.

"Erza! Akame! Grab him!" she said as she pointed towards Kiba. Both did as they were told as they picked Kiba up. Kiba struggled but was subdued by the pair of the Empress's guards.

"No! Please, what are you going to do to him?!" Tsume stood up to try and stop them, but Android 18 stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"This one will be punished for his actions that took place the last time he was here. We in the West do not forget an attack on one of ours, especially when the person he attacked was my husband," Euphemia replied in an angry tone.

"Please, have mercy! Naruto, please have mercy on my son! He didn't know any better!" Tsume begged. Naruto gave her a blank look. It seemed like he could care less at the moment.

"He didn't know any better? He is a grown man. You see, attacking someone unprovoked is a serious crime here in the West. Punishable by death. I do not see why your son should get a pass," Euphemia said as Tsume cried out for them to stop. She kept begging and pleading to both Naruto and Euphemia, but it didn't look like they were having any effect on them.

"Sesshomaru!" Naruto called as the Inu Daiyokai made his appearance. He carried the Tenseiga as he approached the duo holding Kiba. Kiba's eyes widened as he tried to resist even more. Unfortunately, he was not strong enough to get out of their grip and was kicked to his knees. His hands were forced behind his back. Kiba kept trying to resist but was realized that it wasn't going to work. His head hung forward, the perfect position for a beheading. Sesshomaru took his stance as he held the Tenseiga in his hands, waiting for his orders from Naruto.

"Naruto! Please don't do this! This wasn't part of the agreement!" Asuma pleaded.

"Naruto! Please! I beg of you! Have mercy on my son!" Tsume once again begged as she was being held back by Android 18.

"Naruto-kun, please don't do this," Hinata thought, but she couldn't say anything, knowing very well that Kiba did commit a crime at the highest level.

"Naruto, don't do this to Kiba. Let me take his place instead," Kakashi said as he stood up. Naruto became very interested in his former sensei. His demeanor totally changed as he moved forward in his seat.

"No! Please let me take his place, Naruto. I am his sensei and therefore I will shoulder the blame. My only request is please allow me to have my child first before you do this," Kurenai spoke as Asuma turned to her in bewilderment.

"No Kurenai-sensei! I will not allow your child to grow up with a single parent. I will take his place! For I am his teammate and shoulder some of the blame as well," Shino said. Surprising everyone that he would do something like this.

Next thing you know, everyone tried to take Kiba's place. It was getting out of hand and Naruto grew very intrigued at their actions. Even Euphemia turned to her husband in astonishment.

"You all seem to want to shoulder the blame for his crime, so would you all like to suffer his fate?" Naruto asked. The group looked at each other as they all gave the same look. Naruto thought he finally got them. They would now shy away from making the hard decision, just like they did in the past.

Though no words were said, Kakashi decided to speak up, " Yes we will. Because we all have committed a worse crime in our lives. We have had to live with that sin for a long time now. I think it's time that we pay for it." Naruto was a bit thrown off, but stood up from his seat and walked down to meet Kakashi face to face.

"When did you become so sage-like and have meaning behind your words, Kakashi? How do I know that the words you speak are true? I seem to recall that you weren't even there when I was banished. What happened to those that break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum? You must be worse than scum, huh? Since you failed to even show up to support me when I was banished," Naruto said as everyone winced at his words. Even Euphemia was a bit shaken that Naruto was talking like this. She had never heard him utter such words like this before.

"You knew my parents, didn't you? Where were you when I was an orphan? Where were you when I was by myself? Where were you when I was beaten and chased throughout the village? Did you think I was the cause of my parent's death too? Did you believe that I was the Kyuubi reincarnate? Please tell me now, so that I at least know you'll be honest about something for once as my former sensei," Naruto said, tears starting to form at the corners of his eyes. Jiraiya and Tsunade could barely watch as they could feel the anger being released from Naruto.

"It is true Naruto that I am worse than scum. I never saw you as the Kyuubi reincarnate although yes your parent's death did affect me. However, you are right. That is no excuse as to why I was not there when you were alone. My orders were to look after you and I failed that. I failed to protect your parents and I failed to protect you. There is no excuse for any of my actions. However, I want to say that I have always believed in you Naruto. If anyone could make the impossible, possible, it would be you. Despite your feelings towards me, I will always be supporting you Naruto, in this life and the next. It was an honor to call you my student. Now please let me take Kiba's place. If anyone needs to die today, it should be me. I believe I am resigned to my fate," Kakashi finished as he bowed before Naruto. His words made Naruto think for a moment. He turned away from the group as he looked up at the ceiling. After what seemed like seconds, he gave his answer.

"Switch them," Naruto ordered as everyone's eyes widened. Naruto was actually going to do this. Zoro and Yusuke came and got Kakashi into position. Mugen presented Naruto with the Jinchuuriki's own sword. Naruto observed his blade and got into position.

The room became dead silent. Everyone was in shock that Naruto was about to kill his Sensei. Even Jiraiya and Tsunade couldn't believe it.

Naruto lifted the sword above his head as Kakashi closed his eyes. If this was going to be his last moment on earth, he wanted to think of something positive. He imagined Naruto and the others being the ones to bring peace to the world. He imagined a world where there was no more fighting and no more corruption. He wished he could see that day. Meanwhile, everyone else in the room couldn't look at the sight of Naruto prepared to behead his former sensei.

Naruto swung down and Kakashi could hear the sword cutting the air. He winced as he prepared for anything. He waited a few seconds, but felt nothing, "Am I already dead?" he thought. He opened one eye and could see that he was still in the same position as before. He wasn't dead yet.

He then saw the sword next to him instead and Naruto bent down to get eye level with his former sensei.

"You know, I just have this habit of changing people who think they are resigned to their fate. I don't think your time has come just yet, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said as everyone turned to see that Kakashi was still alive. They felt a sense of relief as they saw Naruto giving mercy. The Emperor turned to the rest of them and saw their relieved faces.

"You have proven to me today that you are all deserving of a second chance. I can see that changes have been made since the last time we met. I am very glad that you all decided to take this chance to earn your redemption," Naruto said.

"However, this does not mean your redemption has been earned yet. You will still have to prove that to us. Redemption is not earned in a day. Just because you may have held status in Konoha does not mean you will have that same status here. You will start at the bottom and have to work your way up," Euphemia added as the group nodded their heads in understanding.

"Don't worry. We will give you every opportunity to succeed here. I am just glad that you all have made it this far. I'm sorry I got you going there, Kakashi-sensei, but I needed to know that all of you were being genuine. And sorry Kiba, I hope we didn't scare you too bad," Naruto said as Kiba was still shaking a little.

"I-I-It's o-okay, N-Naruto. I-I am sorry for l-last t-time," Kiba said as Naruto waved it off.

"It is no problem. However, I want you all to know, I know you have thousands of apologies you want to tell me. Don't tell me, show me. Like my wife said, everything here is earned through hard work. Nothing will be given to you," Naruto said as everyone bowed at his generosity.

"Okay, first thing. Do not bow to me. I hate that type of stuff. I may be Emperor, but I'm mostly still the same Naruto you all knew just a little more grown-up. Oh and I almost forgot. Hinata!" Naruto called as Hinata stepped out of the shadows and into view of the group. Hiashi stood up as father and daughter ran to each other and embraced. It had been a while since they had done that. Hiashi finally showed his true feelings for his daughter as he started to cry.

"Hinata, I am so sorry for everything," Hiashi said.

"Do not worry, Tou-sama. I know you couldn't help it. I have missed you so much," Hinata replied.

"I have missed you too, Hinata," Hiashi said. Everyone looked on at the family moment as this also brought up another point Naruto needed to bring up.

"Oh yes, so the terms of your deals here. You will all be given temporary places to stay for you and your clans. You will all be put on probation for a year. During this year, you will learn our laws and traditions. After that year is up, you will find a permanent residence and an occupation. We have both fighting and non-fighting occupations in case anyone is interested in that stuff. Until then, each clan and family will be given a stipend, so that you can buy basic necessities besides the ones you brought. For the Hyuuga, I will make it even better. I see that you have brought the entire Branch House here. After the year is up and if there are no incidents that occur with your clan, I will remove the Caged Bird Seal. Just as I have done with Hinata," Naruto said as everyone turned their attention to Hinata's forehead. Just like Naruto said, the Caged Bird Seal was no longer there.

Hiashi nearly ran up to Naruto and embraced him. He couldn't believe that there was a way to remove the seal without killing the user. He would make sure that the Branch House members behaved so that they could be freed of the seal.

"I will give you the full details of your residence here later. However, you will be my guests tonight at my house. Come, I will get a meal prepared for you all. Your journey must've made you all hungry," Naruto said as both Choji and Choza both screamed in excitement.

The night would be a good chance for Naruto and all those from Konoha in the West to catch up and be thankful that they were now in a better situation.


End file.
